Gohan and The Sea of Monsters
by LordCaldrin45
Summary: After a year, Gohan is still no closer to finding a way to return to his own world. Meanwhile, his new home is in danger once again. The magical borders of Camp Half-Blood have been poisoned by a mysterious enemy, and is on the verge of being overrun. Thus, Gohan must embark on yet another adventure with his friends Percy and Annabeth to find the Golden Fleece, or all will be lost.
1. The Pieces fall into Play

It was the middle of the night in Miami. A storm was blowing. Wind and rain ripped at the palm trees along the sidewalk. Pink and yellow stucco buildings lined the street, their windows boarded up. A block away, past a line of hibiscus bushes, the ocean churned. Inside a penthouse overlooking the sea, the bioandroid Cell floated in front of a clear glass window, with his eyes closed, but still watching the storm unfold in front of him calmly. Behind him, the sound of a door opening and closing echoed in the room, followed by several footsteps, which quickly stopped. Cell's eyes opened and he floated around to see Luke standing behind him. He had a pained look on his face.

"Is it done?" Cell asked.

"Yes. I administered the venom. The effects should start soon enough." Luke answered with a pained expression on his face.

"Did anyone see you?" Cell asked.

"No." Luke answered. Cell nodded at that.

"Excellent." Then, Cell noted the expression on Luke's face.

"You don't approve?" Luke grimaced.

"It's not that, it's just… Thalia…" A snarl shot across Cell's face that was quickly replaced by a sympathetic smile.

"Luke… understand that what we do here together is for the greater good of all demigods. Together… we are going to change this Earth for the better…" Luke nodded. Cell gritted his teeth and continued.

"Remember, you can do what I can't. You are the rallying cry that your fellow demigods will follow. This is what Thalia died for!" Luke nodded at that.

"What now?" Cell turned away from Luke and looked out the window. On the board, the white queen moved and removed a rook, which then floated off the board and fell on the floor.

"For now, go to the Princess Andromeda and continue to recruit half-bloods to our cause. Wait there until I tell you." Cell ordered. Luke looked shocked.

"We're doing nothing?" Luke asked with pure bewilderment. Cell chuckled.

"For the moment, we will wait. Let our recent actions take effect, and let the pieces dance on their side of the board." Cell answered as he picked up a white knight piece and twirled it between his fingers.

"But!" Cell interrupted Luke with a quick raise of his hand.

"A quick lesson, Castellan. Sometimes, the best action is no action at all. Now, go." Luke stiffly nodded.

"What about Jackson? And Gohan?" Cell smiled.

"I've already taken steps with Jackson. As for Gohan… he's fine where he is." Luke paused.

"And Annabeth?" Cell mentally laughed at the waver he heard in Luke's voice. Fear. So pathetic. Still, the girl was a weakness he could exploit… and just not on this pawn.

"I already gave you my word, she will not be harmed. She's on her way to camp as we speak. Now then, go." Luke nodded, turned, and left the room. Cell turned back towards the window and looked downward towards the street below. A smile formed on his face as a lone figure came into view below, running for dear life. Next to him, the black queen moved on the board and trapped the king. Checkmate.

"And so it begins." Cell laughed.

The sound of hooves clattered against the pavement as Grover ran for his life. He was hauling goat tail, holding his human shoes in his hands the way he does when he needs to move fast. He clopped past the little tourist shops and surfboard rental places. The wind bent the palm trees almost to the ground.

Grover was terrified of something behind him. He must've just come from the beach. Wet sand was caked in his fur. He'd escaped from somewhere. He was trying to get away from ... something.

A bone-rattling growl cut through the storm. Behind Grover, at the far end of the block, a shadowy figure loomed. It swatted aside a street lamp, which burst in a shower of sparks.

Grover stumbled, whimpering in fear. He muttered to himself, Have to get away. Have to warn them! The ground shook as the figure got closer. Grover dashed around a street corner and faltered. He'd run into a dead- end courtyard full of shops. No time to back up. The nearest door had been blown open by the storm. The sign above the darkened display window read RACHEL'S BRIDAL BOUTIQUE.

Grover dashed inside. He dove behind a rack of wedding dresses.

The monster's shadow passed in front of the shop. The smell was horrific, a sickening combination of wet sheep wool and rotten meat and that weird sour body odor only monsters have, like a skunk that's been living off Mexican food.

Grover trembled behind the wedding dresses. The monster's shadow passed on. Silence except for the rain. Grover took a deep breath. Maybe the thing was gone.

Then lightning flashed. The entire front of the store exploded, and a monstrous voice bellowed: "MIIIIINE!"


	2. Just a Regular Morning

Percy Jackson sat bolt upright, shivering in his bed. That was one bad dream. But, there was no storm. No monster. Morning sunlight filtered through his bedroom window.

For an instant, Percy could have sworn that he saw a shadow flicker across the glass—a humanlike shape. But then there was a knock on his door.

"Percy, you're going to be late" his mom called. Then, the shadow at the window seemed to vanish.

"Come on, dear," his mother called again. "Last day of school. You should be excited! You've almost made it.'"

"Coming," Percy managed.

He felt under his pillow. His fingers closed reassuringly around the ballpoint pen he always slept with. He brought it out and studied the Ancient Greek writing engraved on the side: Anaklusmos. Riptide. For a brief instant, he thought about uncapping it. But, he shoved the desire down. Not really the time or place.

Besides, his mom had made him promise not to use deadly weapons in the apartment after he'd swung a javelin the wrong way and taken out her china cabinet. He put Riptide on his nightstand and dragged himself out of bed.

As Percy got dressed, he mulled over his strange dream.

Have to get away. Have to warn them! What had Grover meant? And that laughing… Percy could have sworn that he heard someone laughing, a sound so scary that it still gave him chills. And a pair of glowing red eyes… that was also pretty terrifying.

Percy made a three-fingered claw over his heart and pushed outward—an ancient gesture Grover had once taught him for warding off evil.

The dream couldn't have been real. Percy sighed as he ran a hand through his hair. He should have been excited. Not only was it the last day of school, but for the first time in his life, he'd almost made it an entire year without getting expelled. No weird accidents. No fights in the classroom. No teachers turning into monsters and trying to kill him with poisoned cafeteria food or exploding homework. Tomorrow, he'd be on his way to his favorite place in the world—Camp Half-Blood.

Only one more day to go. Surely even he couldn't mess that up.

His mom made blue waffles and blue eggs for breakfast. He ate at the kitchen table while she washed dishes. She was dressed in her work uniform—a starry blue skirt and a red-and-white striped blouse she wore to sell candy at Sweet on America. Her long brown hair was pulled back in a ponytail.

The waffles tasted great, but Percy really wasn't getting into it. His mom looked over and frowned. "Percy, are you all right?"

"Yeah ... fine."

But she could always tell when something was bothering him. She dried her hands and sat down across from him. "School, or are you worried about your friend? The… weird one?" Percy sighed. He knew who his mom was talking about.

"His name's Gohan, mom. And he's just… lost, that's all. " That was an understatement, to say the least. She pursed her lips. They didn't talk much about the other part of his life. They tried to live as normally as possible, but his mom knew all about Percy's other life, and all about Gohan.

To be blunt, Gohan was apparently a half-alien superboy from a parallel Earth, and was literally one of the most powerful people on the planet. He still vividly remembered Gohan taking down Ares, the god of war. Honestly, Percy thought Gohan was pretty much incredible. He could fly, shoot beams out of his hands, and take beatings that would kill anyone else. Plus, that golden transformation was pretty neat too, though the tail was a little weird. Not to mention, the whole multiverse explanation gave him a big headache. Still, Percy had to admit, he was actually a little jealous of Gohan.

"I still don't understand this whole parallel Earth thing you told me. It just seems like something out of a comic book. This whole thing does."

"Mom! The gods of Greek mythology are real, I think we're already past weird." She shrugged.

"Gods are one thing, but aliens and other Earths? Way too complicated for me." Percy groaned.

"Mom, I think Grover's in trouble," Percy said, and he told her about his dream.

"I wouldn't be too worried, dear," she said. "Grover is a big satyr now. If there were a problem, I'm sure we would've heard from ... from camp..." Her shoulders tensed as she said the word camp.

"What is it?" Percy asked.

"Nothing," she said. "I'll tell you what. This afternoon we'll celebrate the end of school. I'll take you and Tyson to Rockefeller Center—to that skateboard shop you like." Percy was more than intrigued by that, to say the least. But, he paused.

"Wait a minute," Percy said. "I thought we were packing me up for camp tonight." She twisted her dishrag. "Ah, dear, about that ... I got a message from Chiron last night."

Percy's heart sank. Chiron was the activities director at Camp Half-Blood. He wouldn't contact them unless some-thing serious was going on. "What did he say?"

"He thinks ... it might not be safe for you to come to camp just yet. We might have to postpone."

"Postpone? Mom, how could it not be safe? I'm a half-blood! It's like the only safe place on earth for me!"

"Usually, dear. But with the problems they're having—"

"What problems?"

"Percy ... I'm very, very sorry. I was hoping to talk to you about it this afternoon. I can't explain it all now. I'm not even sure Chiron can. Everything happened so suddenly."

Percy's mind was reeling. How could he not go to camp? What was going on? Percy wanted to ask a million questions, but just then the kitchen clock chimed the half-hour.

His mom looked almost relieved. "Seven-thirty, dear. You should go. Tyson will be waiting." "But—"

"Percy, we'll talk this afternoon. Go on to school."

That was the last thing Percy wanted to do, but she had a fragile look in her eyes—a kind of warning, like if he pushed her too hard she'd start to cry. Besides, she was right about his friend Tyson. Percy had to meet him at the subway station on time or he'd get upset. He was scared of traveling underground alone.

Percy gathered up his stuff, but he stopped in the doorway. "Mom, this problem at camp. Does it... could it have anything to do with my dream about Grover? Or Gohan and Annabeth?"

She wouldn't meet his eyes. "We'll talk this afternoon, dear. I'll explain ... as much as I can." Reluctantly, Percy told her good-bye. He jogged downstairs to catch the Number Two train. Percy didn't know it at the time, but he wouldn't be returning home for a long, long while.

As Percy stepped outside, he glanced at the brownstone building across the street. Just for a second, Percy saw a dark shape in the morning sunlight—a human silhouette against the brick wall, a shadow that belonged to no one.

Then it rippled and vanished.

 **Hey guys. I know, Gohan's not here yet. But don't worry, he'll pop up soon enough. These stories wont just stick with Gohan's POV, they'll jump to Percy, Annabeth,… well, you get the idea. Enjoy!**


	3. Never Take Free Samples from a Gorgon

**Hey guys, sorry that it's been so long, been busy with the Red Pyramid. But, here it is! The next chapter in the Gohan/ Percy saga! Enjoy!**

Needless to say, Gohan was not having the best day. He let out a yelp as he flipped back, accidentally stumbling back into a pair of trash cans. He sighed in annoyance as he turned to face the latest monster threat. It was actually a familiar one, in a way.

It was the smiley one – Stheno. She leered at him, the snakes that consisted of her hair hissing at him.

The first time he'd seen the gorgon, she was posing as a Bargain Mart greeter with a big green button that read: Welcome! My name is STHENO. Frankly, it was his stomach that had gotten him in trouble. Something had seen a little strange about her, but his starving stomach had gotten the better of him. He KNEW he should have accepted Carter and Sadie's offer for breakfast before he got going, but he had been so excited to head back to Camp Half-Blood that he had just rushed out. Well, he was regretting it now.

To be fair, he should have learned his lesson after a hunt for hot dogs ended in psycho Egyptian magicians chasing him across the country, and almost getting fried into Gohan fries by a psycho chaos god(See Gohan and the Red Pyramid, still in progress)

She was still wearing her green Bargain Mart employee vest over a flower-print dress. If you looked just at her body, you might think she was somebody's dumpy old grandmother – until you looked down and realized she had rooster feet. Or you looked up and saw bronze boar tusks sticking out of the corners of her mouth. Her eyes glowed red, and her hair was a writhing nest of bright green snakes.

The most horrible thing about her? She was still holding her big silver platter of free samples: Crispy Cheese 'n' Wieners. but those little samples looked perfectly fine. Ghana's stomach still rumbled at the sight of them.

'Try one?' Stheno offered.

"Ummmm… no thanks. I'm good." Gohan answered feebly.

Except for her hair, which was a nest of coral snakes instead of green vipers, she looked exactly like her sister. Her Bargain Mart vest, her flowery dress, even her tusks were decorated with 50% off stickers. Her name badge read: Hello! My name is DIE, DEMIGOD SCUM!

You've led us on quite a chase, boy,' Euryale said. 'But now you're trapped, and we'll have our revenge!'

'The Cheese 'n' Wieners are only $2.99,' Stheno added helpfully. 'Grocery department, aisle three.' Euryale snarled. 'Stheno, the Bargain Mart was a front! You're going native! Now, put down that ridiculous tray and help me kill this demigod. Or have you forgotten that he's the one who vaporized Medusa?" Gohan sighed.

"Look I don't want to fight. I'll give you guys one chance. You go, or this is going to get violent."

Stheno gave her sister a pouty look, which was hard to do with giant bronze tusks. 'Can we?'

'No!' Euryale's red eyes bored into Gohan. "I can smell Medusa's blood on you. It's faint, yes, a year old, but you were the last one to defeat her. She still has not returned from Tartarus. It's your fault!"

"In my defense, she tried to turn me and my friends into statues. And I thought that it takes a lot longer to return than that." Gohan stated.

"Enough talk! Now you die!" Gohan sighed, crossing his arms in annoyance.

"Honestly, I just wanted to get you guys out of sight. And I'm not a demigod." Both gorgons crackled at that.

"That's what they all say before we eat them." Gohan shrugged.

"Well, I warned you." Then, in one swift motion, Gohan's hand shot out, firing a bright yellow blast that slammed into Euryale, blinding the small alley in a flash of yellow light and smoke. A minute later, the sounds of hacking echoed as Euryale waved the smoke away from her. Her sister looked baffled, still holding her tray of free samples.

"I've never seen one do that before." Euryale hissed in reply, furious at the sight that Gohan had vanished.

"Coward! Using cheap tricks to escape our wrath!" If either of them had had a little more sense, they would have looked upward to see Gohan handing onto the side of the large apartment building above them, his left hand dug into the concrete. His other hand clutched his sword, Ascension. Carefully, he twisted the blade hilt until the tip pointed straight down.

"You guys aren't very bright, are you?" he called. Then, he hurled the blade. Euryale looked up just in time to screech in rage, before Gohan's sword shot through her mouth, cutting her scream to a choke as the sword buried to the hilt. For a sole instance, Euryale was frozen, with Gohan's sword poking out of her mouth. Then, she exploded in a blast of yellow dust. Gohan then shot through the dust, slamming his foot against Stheno's face, sending the gorgon flying against the wall with a loud crack. Her snakes thrashed as she blinked to see Gohan standing over her, his sword in hand.

"Your food sucks." Then, he swung. She let out a loud scream as she burst into yellow dust, leaving behind a pair of red vials.

"Huh." Gohan picked up the two vials curiously. As far as he could tell, there didn't seem to be any difference between the two of them. Shrugging, he placed them into his backpack before hoisting it back onto his back. He then tapped on Ascension's hilt, causing it to glow and shrink into a black sweatband, with a lightning bolt through the middle. Gohan chuckled as he looked over the band.

"Well, this beats a pen." He whistled as he strode out of the alley and continued walking towards downtown. He was actually heading to Percy's house so they could head off to Camp Half-Blood together, since he was still having trouble finding the place on his own.

To be honest, Gohan was looking forward to heading back to Camp Half-Blood. Not that helping Carter and Sadie find and train new magicians had been an annoyance, but he was still no closer to finding a way home. Plus, he was looking forward to seeing Percy and Annabeth. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a photo—Annabeth on vacation in Washington, D.C. She was wearing jeans and a denim jacket over her orange Camp Half-Blood T-shirt. Her blond hair was pulled back in a bandanna. She was standing in front of the Lincoln Memorial with her arms crossed, looking extremely pleased with herself, like she'd personally designed the place. She'd e-mailed him the picture three weeks ago, after Carter had helped him make an account.

He kept it hidden in his pocket, though he wasn't sure why. He felt a little twinge at the memory of the warning that he had gotten from Annabeth's mother, Athena, when he had been in Paris. While she had been very helpful at the time, she had also given Gohan a warning to stay away from Annabeth, claiming that she had foreseen that Gohan would bring her pain and suffering. Through, with everything that happened since then, he really hadn't had time to contemplate this fully. He hadn't even thought about how he should act the next time he actually saw her. Should he just act normal? Or avoid her?

Gohan was snapped out of his musing by the echo of a loud explosion, followed by screams and alarms.

"Oh, come on!" he groaned out loud as he raced towards the source of the explosion.


	4. Gym Class Really Sucks

Percy Jackson was not having a good day. To be fair, it hadn't been exactly perfect before the hungry giants showed up with their cannonballs. To be fair, he had already been dreading gym class, because of his new jerk known as Matt Sloan, and his new, large, and beefy friends. Not that Percy himself was very popular, especially given that his sole friend at Meriwether College Prep was the homeless kid, Tyson.

He was six-foot-three and built like the Abominable Snowman, but he cried a lot and was scared of just about everything, including his own reflection. His face was kind of misshapen and brutal-looking. Percy couldn't tell you what color his eyes were, because he could never make himself look higher than Tyson's crooked teeth. His voice was deep, but he talked funny, like a much younger kid. He wore tattered jeans, grimy size-twenty sneakers, and a plaid flannel shirt with holes in it. He smelled like a New York City alleyway, because that's where he lived, in a cardboard refrigerator box off 72nd Street.

"Percy, duck!" Percy rolled just as another dodgeball whistled past his ear at the speed of sound. Whooom! "Hey!" Percy yelled at Sloan's team. "You could kill somebody!"

The visitor named Joe Bob grinned at him evilly. Somehow, he looked a lot bigger now ... even taller than Tyson. His biceps bulged beneath his T-shirt. "I hope so, Perseus Jackson! I hope so!"

The way he said his name sent a chill down his back. Nobody called him Perseus except those who knew his true identity. Friends ... and enemies. Percy got a sinking feeling, recalling an earlier statement.

What had Tyson said? They smell funny. Monsters.

All around Matt Sloan, the visitors were growing in size. They were no longer kids. They were eight-foot-tall giants with wild eyes, pointy teeth, and hairy arms tattooed with snakes and hula women and Valentine hearts.

Matt Sloan dropped his ball. "Whoa! You're not from Detroit! Who ..."

The other kids on his team started screaming and backing toward the exit, but the giant named Marrow Sucker threw a ball with deadly accuracy. It streaked past Raj Mandali just as he was about to leave and hit the door, slamming it shut like magic. Raj and some of the other kids banged on it desperately but it wouldn't budge.

"Let them go!" Percy yelled at the giants.

The one called Joe Bob growled at him. He had a tattoo on his biceps that said: JB luvs Babycakes. "And lose our tasty morsels? No, Son of the Sea God. We Laistrygonians aren't just playing for your death. We want lunch!"

He waved his hand and a new batch of dodgeballs appeared on the center line—but these balls weren't made of red rubber. They were bronze, the size of cannon balls, perforated like wiffle balls with fire bubbling out the holes. They must've been searing hot, but the giants picked them up with their bare hands.

"Coach!" Percy yelled.

Nunley looked up sleepily, but if he saw anything abnormal about the dodgeball game, he didn't let on. That's the problem with mortals. A magical force called the Mist obscures the true appearance of monsters and gods from their vision, so mortals tend to see only what they can understand. For all Percy knew, the coach saw a few eighth graders pounding the younger kids like usual. Maybe the other kids saw Matt Sloan's thugs getting ready to toss Molotov cock-tails around. (It wouldn't have been the first time.) At any rate, Percy was pretty sure nobody else realized they were dealing with genuine man-eating bloodthirsty monsters.

"Yeah. Mm-hmm," Coach muttered. "Play nice." And he went back to his magazine.

The giant named Skull Eater threw his ball. Percy dove aside as the fiery bronze comet sailed past his shoulder.

"Corey!" Percy screamed.

Tyson pulled him out from behind the exercise mat just as the ball exploded against it, blasting the mat to smoking shreds.

"Run!" Percy told my teammates. "The other exit!"

They ran for the locker room, but with another wave of Joe Bob's hand, that door also slammed shut.

"No one leaves unless you're out!" Joe Bob roared. "And you're not out until we eat you!" He launched his own fireball. Percy's teammates scattered as it blasted a crater in the gym floor.

Percy reached for Riptide, but stopped at the horrifying realization that it was in his pants… which were in the locker room. And the locker room door was sealed. He was completely defenseless.

Another fireball came streaking toward him. Tyson pushed Percy out of the way, but the explosion still blew me head over heels. I found himself sprawled on the gym floor, dazed from smoke, his tie-dyed T-shirt peppered with sizzling holes. Just across the center line, two hungry giants were glaring down at him.

"Flesh!" they bellowed. "Hero flesh for lunch!" They both took aim. "Percy needs help!" Tyson yelled, and he jumped in front of me just as they raised their balls. "Tyson!" Percy screamed, but it was too late. Then, the right side of the gym exploded, showering the room in plaster and dust. The air was still as all eyes fell on the settling dust. A shadow figure emerged from the smoke, followed by laughter.

"I've heard that gym can be rough, but this is ridiculous!"

Percy let out a surprised yelp, and grinned. Talk about amazing timing! Gohan chuckled as he emerged from the smoke, and Percy was surprised by how different he looked, compared to the last time they had seen each other. His hair was longer, down to his neck. He now wore a brown cloak, which partially covered the black jacket underneath it, a souvenir from their time, as well as the scar from his battle with the god across his cheek. His pants were long blue jeans, with ripped knees. Frankly, Gohan looked pretty badass. Then, Gohan's eyes fell on Percy, and his face morphed into one of surprise.

"Percy?" Gohan exclaimed. Then, he shot from the hole, landing next to Percy. He held out his hand, and helped Percy up.

"You've looked better." Percy couldn't help but smirk.

"Your timing couldn't be better." He grabbed Gohan and pressed him into a tight hug.

"Boy, do I have some stories to tell you!" Gohan laughed.

"Did you have to blow up the gym?" Percy asked. Gohan shrugged.

"I heard explosions and screaming. I improvised."

"He smells funny." Tyson interrupted, causing Gohan to finally take notice.

"Whoa! Big guy!" Then, Gohan looked at Tyson's face.

"Wait a second! Does he have only…" Before Gohan could get closer, he was rudely interrupted.

"HEY!" Both boys turned towards Joe Bob the Cannibal, who looked very annoyed, alongside his six very imposing brothers.

"So, another morsel for our feast! Excellent!" he roared with delight. His brothers joined with horrible laughter.

"So… you take the three on the left, I take the three on the right? We meet up with the middle guy." Gohan smirked as his fists began to glow.

"Ummm… I don't have my sword."

"WHAT?" Then, Joe Bob and the other giants roared as they hurled their cannonballs at them, filling the air with fiery streaks.

"DOWN!" Gohan roared as he thrust his fist down, expelling out a bright blue light just as the balls connected, expelling out a massive blast of heat.

"Excellent! I love my meat well-done! Now we feast!" Joe Bob roared in delight, but his joy quickly faded as the smoke faded to reveal a shimmering blue force field.

"Glowing!" Tyson commented with wide eyes as he reached up to touch the bright blue light around them.

"Where's your sword?" Gohan asked in a flat tone.

"My pants. Locker room." Gohan nodded.

"Stay low and get those other kids out of here. I'll handle this." Then, he thrust his hands forward, causing the blue light to shimmer, and then fly straight into the giants, causing them to roar and stumble backwards. In that split second, Gohan raced forward like a bullet, speeding towards the closest giant. He roared as he raised another large ball and chucked it at him. Gohan spun, causing the ball to fall past him and smash into the floor with another large explosion. Gohan thrust his fist out and smashed the giant across the knee, causing the knee to snap in the opposite direction with a loud CRACK! The giant screamed in pain as he fell to his knees. Gohan then heard the rush of air behind him, and leaped into the air, dodging two large cannonballs that promptly exploded in the giant's face, causing him to explode in a column of flame. Well, that confirmed it—a sure sign they were monsters, all right. Monsters don't die. They just dissipate into smoke and dust, which saves heroes a lot of trouble cleaning up after a fight. Gohan had to admit, Vegeta would love it here. Nonstop monsters to fight all the time. Gohan's mind quickly came up with an idea.

"Let's turn their size and brains against them." Gohan clenched his fist as he landed, causing the black band to glow, and Ascension appeared in his hands. The other giants actually took a step back in as well. Joe Bob let out a roar of laughter.

"So! It seems the rumors of a son of Zeus wielding a piece of the Master Bolt are true! Our master will award us handsomely for that blade!" Gohan was both flattered and annoyed.

"For the last time, I'm not a child of Zeus! And you want this sword so badly?" Gohan then hurled Ascension right towards the giant on Joe Bob's left, going right through his chest. For a split second, the giant looked down at the hilt with a puzzled expression. Then, he exploded in a shower of dust. Not slowing down, Gohan leaped through the smoke, yanked up Ascension, and raced up alongside the side of the gym wall. So, two down, five left.

"My brothers!" Joe Bob the Cannibal wailed. He flexed his muscles and his Babycakes tattoo rippled. "You will pay for their destruction!"

"Then come get me! You know, for giants, your aim sure sucks!" The remaining giants roared in response, and hurled their balls straight at Gohan. Through a combination of weaving, twirling, and dodging, Gohan avoided them all. They did leave gaping holes in the wall, however.

"Seriously? I knew you guys were stupid, but I didn't know you were blind too!" The giants let out a roar of rage in response. Gohan then vaulted over another giant and stabbed him in the shoulder, causing him to howl and disintegrate. Gohan landed on the ground, and quickly surveyed the situation. It was… pretty bad.

Kids were running around screaming, trying to avoid the sizzling craters in the floor. Others were banging on the door, calling for help. One stood petrified in the middle of the court, watching in disbelief as balls of death flew around him.

"It's stuck!" Percy called. Gohan gritted his teeth in frustration. One of the chief things his dad had always done during a fight was make sure there were no innocent bystanders were in the way. Great job he was doing in that department.

"Victory will be ours!" roared Joe Bob the Cannibal. "We will feast on your bones!" Gohan groaned. Then, two giants whirled and threw balls right at Tyson.

"No!" Gohan roared as he fired a ki blast to block the balls, but it turns out he didn't need to.

Both balls slammed into Tyson ... but no ... he'd caught them. He sent them hurtling back toward their surprised owners, who screamed, "BAAAAAD!" as the bronze spheres exploded against their chests. The giants disintegrated in twin columns of flame. Gohan let out a low whistle. Three left.

"Gohan!" Percy yelled. "Look out!"

Another comet hurtled toward them. Gohan just had time to swat it aside. It flew straight over Coach Nunley's head and landed in the bleachers with a huge KA-BOOM! Gohan smirked… until he smelled a weird scent. Then, he looked down to see his hand on fire.

"OH, COME ON! HHOOOOTTTT!" Gohan screamed as he ran for the closest water fountain, with the remaining giants roaring with laughter. He let out a groan of relief as he cooled his hand off.

"Let's cook the rest of you!" Gohan leaped into the air, just before the balls turned the wall into slag. The force of the explosion sent Gohan bouncing across the floor.

"Ow." Gohan groaned as he blew out a smoking strand of hair. Percy raced up to him and held his hand out, helping Gohan up.

"You okay?" Gohan groaned.

"I'll live. Only three left." Percy nodded.

"The doors are locked solid. I need my sword! Plus, Tyson can't deflect all those balls at once. His hands had to be seriously burned from blocking the first volley! And I don't think you can deflect those balls at once." Gohan nodded.

Joe Bob roared as he hefted another ball. The other two giants followed his lead.

Gohan had a crazy idea.

"Follow me!" he roared before racing toward the locker room, Percy on his heels.

"Who the heck are you?" one of Percy's teammates, a blonde chubby girl, demanded.

"The guy trying to save your life, so shut up and move!"

"Listen to him! Move!" Percy told his teammates. "Away from the door." Gohan turned towards the giants.

"Hold onto my back." Percy nodded. Then, Gohan laughed and stuck out his tongue.

"So, are all giants this stupid, or are you just made that way? I'd hate to see what your mother looks like!" That did it. Joe Bob let out a roar of rage.

"No one talks about my sweet mother like that! Time for demigod stew!" he roared as he hurled his ball right at them.

Gohan forced myself to wait—one Mississippi, two Mississippi—then dove aside as the fiery sphere demolished the locker room door, covering Percy beneath him.

Now, Gohan took a wild guess, and figured that the built-up gas in most boys' locker rooms was enough to cause an explosion, so he wasn't surprised when the flaming dodgeball ignited a huge WHOOOOOOOM! The wall blew apart. Locker doors, socks, athletic sup-porters, and other various nasty personal belongings rained all over the gym. Percy let out a loud groan as he sat up.

"You are crazy." They were interrupted by a loud roar, and turhend to see Joe Bob hurl another ball right at Tyson.

"NO!" Percy roared.

The ball caught Tyson square in the chest. He slid the length of the court and slammed into the back wall, which cracked and partially crumbled on top of him, making a hole right onto Church Street. Percy didn't see how Tyson could still be alive, but he only looked dazed. The bronze ball was smoking at his feet. Tyson tried to pick it up, but he fell back, stunned, into a pile of cinder blocks.

"Well!" Joe Bob gloated. "Isn't this excellent! I'll have enough meat to bring Babycakes a doggie bag!"

He picked up another ball and aimed it at Tyson.

"Stop!" Percy yelled. "It's us you want!"

The giant grinned. "You wish to die first, young hero?" Gohan groaned as he sat up, using Ascension to push himself back onto his feet.

"Only one dying here today is you!" Gohan yelled. Then, Percy spotted his jeans in a smoking heap of clothes right by the left giant's feet.

"There's Riptide!" Gohan nodded.

"I've got an idea. I'll cover you, close your eyes. Like we did with Medusa." Percy nodded. Then Gohan rached towards the giants and thust his hands in front of his face.

"Suck on this! SOLAR FLARE!" Then, the gym was bathed in a brilliant light, causing the giants to howl in pain as they covered their eyes. Gohan raced towards Percy's jeans, grabbing the pen from them.

"Heads up!" Gohan roared as he hurled the pen at Percy, sailing cleanly into his hands. Percy quickly uncapped the pen, causing Riptide to grow in his hands. Gohan then made a quick swipe across the left giant's chest, causing him to burst into flame. He then leaped over Joe Bob to reach the second giant just as Percy got there, and both boys then stabbed him, Gohan in the chest, Percy in the leg, causing him to burst as well. One left. Joe Bob groaned as his vision finally came back, only to see two armed and dangerous foes in front of him, with two very lethal-looking blades.

"Looks like you're the one outnumbered now." Percy commented, causing Gohan to laugh. Both boys raised their swords to attack, but never got the chance.

Suddenly the giant's body went rigid. His expression changed from gloating to surprise. Right where his belly button should've been, his T-shirt ripped open and he grew something like a horn—no, not a horn—the glowing tip of a blade.

The ball dropped out of his hand. The monster stared down at the knife that had just run him through from behind.

He muttered, "Ow," and burst into a cloud of green flame, which Percy figured was going to make Babycakes pretty upset.

Standing in the smoke was no other than…

"Annabeth?" Gohan gaped in surprise.

Her face was grimy and scratched. She had a ragged backpack slung over her shoulder, her baseball cap tucked in her pocket, a bronze knife in her hand, and a wild look in her storm-gray eyes, like she'd just been chased a thousand miles by ghosts. Matt Sloan, who'd been standing there dumbfounded the whole time, finally came to his senses. He blinked at Annabeth, as if he dimly recognized her. "That's the girl ... That's the girl—"

Annabeth punched him in the nose and knocked him flat. "And you," she told him, "lay off my friend." Gohan frowned, but kicked him in the stomach.

"Yeah! What she said!" Annabeth groaned.

"Really, Muscle head? I think you've done enough already."

The gym was in flames. Kids were still running around screaming. Gohan heard sirens wailing and a garbled voice over the intercom. Through the glass windows of the exit doors, he could see the someone wrestling with the lock, a crowd of teachers piling up behind him. Plus, it looked like the gym was about to go, with massive holes in each of its walls.

"Annabeth ..." Percy stammered. "How did you ... how long have you ..."

"Pretty much all morning." She sheathed her bronze knife. "I've been trying to find a good time to talk to you, but you were never alone. Then this moron goes and blows up the wall before I can jump in! You almost killed me!" Gohan laughed nervously.

"Sorry." He apologized feebly.

"The shadow I saw this morning—that was—" My face felt hot. "Oh my gods, you were looking in my bedroom window?"

"There's no time to explain!" she snapped, though she looked a little red-faced herself. "I just didn't want to—"

"There!" a woman screamed. The doors burst open and the adults came pouring in.

"Meet me outside," Annabeth told them. "And him." She pointed to Tyson, who was still sitting dazed against the wall. Annabeth gave him a look of distaste that neither of them didn't quite understand. "You'd better bring him."

"What?" "No time!" she said. "Hurry!"

She put on her Yankees baseball cap, which was a magic gift from her mom, and instantly vanished.

That left Percy and Gohan standing in the middle of the burn-ing gymnasium when the headmaster came charging in with half the faculty and a couple of police officers. Gohan immediately knew this wasn't going to end well.

"Percy Jackson?" Mr. Bonsai said. "What ... how ... who is this?" he gestured at Gohan, who laughed nervously.

"Ummm… hi." He quickly hid Ascension behind his back, which quickly turned back into an armband.

Over by the broken wall, Tyson groaned and stood up from the pile of cinder blocks. "Head hurts."

Matt Sloan was coming around, too. He focused on them with a look of terror. "Percy did it, Mr. Bonsai, and that lunatic too! They set the whole building on fire. Coach Nunley will tell you! He saw it all!"

Coach Nunley had been dutifully reading his magazine, but just their typical luck—he chose that moment to look up when Sloan said his name. "Eh? Yeah. Mm-hmm."

The other adults turned toward the two of them.

"Well, this is bad." Gohan commented. Percy nodded

"They'll never believe me, even if I could tell them the truth." Gohan sighed. At this moment, he was glad that his father wasn't around to see what was going to happen next. Two of the cops stepped forward, reaching for their handcuffs.

"Cover your ears!" Percy instantly did so, just as Gohan brought his hands out and smashed them together, released a massive sonic boom that shook the building, and sent the large group of adult flying straight into the wall with a loud crash.

"DUDE!" Percy gaped.

"They'll be fine! Come on!" Gohan turned and leaped through the hole he had made earlier. Percy gritted his teeth in annoyance, but turned towards Tyson, yelled "Come on!" and jumped through the gaping hole in the side of the building.


	5. Taxis Really Suck

Annabeth was waiting for them in an alley down Church Street. She pulled the three of them off the sidewalk just as a fire truck screamed past, heading for Meriwether Prep.

"Where'd you find him?" she demanded, pointing at Tyson.

Now, under different circumstances, Percy would've been really happy to see her. They'd made our peace last summer, despite the fact that her mom was Athena and didn't get along with his dad. Percy missed Annabeth probably more than he wanted to admit. And the same could be said for Gohan. Annabeth had been the first person Gohan had met when he crash-landed here after his battle in the Cell Games, which is how he'd been torn from his world in the first place. In fact, Gohan wished that he'd asked her to come along during his Egyptian adventure. Still, the warning from Annabeth's mother echoed in the back on his head.

"He's my friend," Percy told her.

"Is he homeless?"

"What does that have to do with anything? He can hear you, you know. Why don't you ask him?" he snapped. Gohan was surprised by how angry they seemed.

She looked surprised. "He can talk?"

"I talk," Tyson admitted. "You are pretty."

"Ah! Gross!" Annabeth stepped away from him, causing Gohan to chuckle nervously.

"Ummm… guys?" Annabeth whirled on him.

"And YOU! Don't get me started!" Gohan threw up his hands in surprise.

"What did I do?" Annabeth sighed in exasperation.

"Blowing up the British Museum? Washington DC? What was that all about?" Gohan gulped.

"It's a long story." Annabeth smirked.

"I bet. Look, it is good to see you. Sorry, its just been a crazy week." She paused as she gave him a lookover.

"You've grown up a bit since the last time I saw you. You need a haircut. And this outfit… " she frowned as she touched it.

"Ares' shield?" Gohan nodded.

"I see you've been learning how to use your sword." Gohan chuckled.

"I've had a lot of practice." She rolled her eyes, but gave him a small smile.

"Knowing you, I bet." She frowned as she looked at Gohan's hand and took it into her's

"How's your hand? I saw you take a hit back there." Gohan flexed his fingers.

"I'll live. Taken worse."

"Tyson," Percy interrupted as he looked over Tyson's hands in disbelief. "Your hands aren't even burned."

"Of course not," Annabeth muttered. "I'm surprised the Laistrygonians had the guts to attack you with him around."

Tyson seemed fascinated by Annabeth's blond hair. He tried to touch it, but she smacked his hand away.

"Annabeth," Percy said, "what are you talking about? Laistry-what?"

"Laistrygonians. The monsters in the gym. They're a race of giant cannibals who live in the far north. Odysseus ran into them once, but I've never seen them as far south as New York before."

"Laistry—I can't even say that. What would you call them in English?" Gohan asked.

She thought about it for a moment. "Canadians," she decided. "Now come on, we have to get out of here."

"The police'll be after me."

"Again." Gohan added, getting a glare from Percy.

"That's the least of our problems," she said. "Have you been having the dreams?"

"The dreams ... about Grover?"

Her face turned pale. "Grover? No, what about Grover?"

"Wait, what dream? What are you guys talking about?"

Percy told them his dream. "Why? What were you dreaming about?"

Her eyes looked stormy, like her mind was racing a million miles an hour.

"Camp," she said at last. "Big trouble at camp." Gohan sputtered.

"Wait, what? No one said anything about trouble at camp to me!"

"That's because no one knew how to reach you." Gohan sputtered

"My mom was saying the same thing! But what kind of trouble?" Percy interrupted

"I don't know exactly. Something's wrong. We have to get there right away. Monsters have been chasing me all the way from Virginia, trying to stop me. Have you guys had a lot of attacks?"

Percy shook his head. "None all year ... until today."

"None? But how ..." Her eyes drifted to Tyson. "Oh."

"What do you mean, 'oh'?" Gohan raised his hand.

"I've had my fair share. In fact, right before I showed up to that school, these two snake haired ladies tried to eat me. Something about us killing Medusa last year." Annabeth whirled towards him.

"WHAT? You fought Medusa's sisters?" Gohan nodded.

"Yeah, and after I killed them, I got these!" Gohan then pulled out the two vials from his pocket, causing Annabeth to boggle.

"Gohan… do you know what those are?" he shook his head.

"That's gorgon's blood!" Gohan scrunched his face.

"Ew." Annabeth shook her head.

"Gohan, that's really dangerous stuff. Drinking blood from the right side of a Gorgon's body can heal any injury, while blood from the left side of a Gorgon's body will cause a painful death."

"So… which is which?" Percy asked. Annabeth shrugged.

"They're identical. It's impossible to tell which is which. You better hold onto that, Gohan. No telling if we might need them someday. But don't drink that!" He nodded as tacked them back into his backpack.

Tyson raised his hand like he was still in class. "Canadians in the gym called Percy something ... Son of the Sea God?"

The small trio exchanged looks.

"Big guy," Percy said, "you ever hear those old stories about the Greek gods? Like Zeus, Poseidon, Athena—"

"Yes," Tyson said.

"Well ... those gods are still alive. They kind of follow Western Civilization around, living in the strongest countries, so like now they're in the U.S. And sometimes they have kids with mortals. Kids called half-bloods."

"Yes," Tyson repeated. Gohan had a funny feeling as he looked at Tyson.

"Uh, well, Annabeth and I are half-bloods," Percy said. "We're like ... heroes-in-training. And whenever monsters pick up our scent, they attack us. That's what those giants were in the gym. Monsters."

"Yes. And him? He glowed. Is he one too?" Tyson pointed at Gohan.

"Ummm… that's a long story, Tyson." Percy said.

"Okay." Tyson said. Gohan sighed. This was complicated.

"Tyson… I'm an Otherworlder." Tyson looked confused.

"I'm not from this world. I came here from a parallel dimension by accident. I'm from a different Earth. You understand?" Tyson scratched his chin.

"Little green man!" Tyson said, causing Annabeth to snort while Gohan sighed.

Percy stared at him. He didn't seem surprised or confused by what he was telling him, which surprised and confused him. "So ... you believe me?"

Tyson nodded. "But you are ... Son of the Sea God?" "Yeah," Percy admitted. "My dad is Poseidon." Tyson frowned. Now he looked confused. "But then ..." A siren wailed. A police car raced past our alley.

"We don't have time for this," Annabeth said. "We'll talk in the taxi." "A taxi all the way to camp?" Gohan said.

"You know how much money—" "Trust me." Percy hesitated. "What about Tyson?"

"We can't just leave him," Percy decided. "He'll be in trouble, too." "Yeah." Annabeth looked grim. "We definitely need to take him. Now come on."

Percy didn't like the way she said that, as if Tyson were a big disease they needed to get to the hospital, but he followed her down the alley. Together the four of them sneaked through the side streets of downtown while a huge column of smoke billowed up behind us from my school gymnasium.

"Here." Annabeth stopped them on the corner of Thomas and Trimble. She fished around in her backpack. "I hope I have one left."

"I could fly us." Gohan suggested, but she snorted at that.

"You couldn't carry us all at once. Plus, you'd get lost."

She looked even worse than Gohan realized at first. Her chin was cut. Twigs and grass were tangled in her ponytail, as if she'd slept several nights in the open. The slashes on the hems of her jeans looked suspiciously like claw marks. Percy looked at Gohan with a curious exression.

"You okay? You've been looking at Annabeth with a weird look on your face." Gohan sighed.

"I'm fine. What are you looking for, Annabeth?" Gohan asked.

All around them, sirens wailed.

"Found one. Thank the gods." Annabeth pulled out a gold coin that they recognized as a drachma, the currency of Mount Olympus. It had Zeus's likeness stamped on one side and the Empire State Building on the other.

"Annabeth," Percy said, "New York taxi drivers won't take that."

"Stêthi," she shouted in Ancient Greek. "Ô hárma diabolês!" Gohan cocked his head in confusion.

"Ummmmm… translation?" try as hard as he might, Gohan still couldn't understand Ancient Greek.

"Stop, Chariot of Damnation." Percy repeated. Gohan shuddered. That didn't sound good. She threw her coin into the street, but instead of clattering on the asphalt, the drachma sank right through and disappeared.

For a moment, nothing happened.

Then, just where the coin had fallen, the asphalt darkened. It melted into a rectangular pool about the size of a parking space—bubbling red liquid like blood. Then a car erupted from the ooze. Gohan literally jumped ten feet in surprise.

It was a taxi, all right, but unlike every other taxi in New York, it wasn't yellow. It was smoky gray. I mean it looked like it was woven out of smoke, like you could walk right through it. There were words printed on the door—Gray Sisters' Taxi.

"Ummm… I don't think we can all fit." Annabeth scoffed.

"Of course we can."

The passenger window rolled down, and an old woman stuck her head out. She had a mop of grizzled hair covering her eyes, and she spoke in a weird mumbling way, like she'd just had a shot of Novocain. "Passage? Passage?"

"Four to Camp Half-Blood," Annabeth said. She opened the cab's back door and waved at Percy and Gohan to get in, like this was all completely normal.

"Ach!" the old woman screeched. "We don't take his kind!" She pointed a bony finger at Tyson. What was it? Pick-on-Big-and-Ugly-Kids Day? Then, she pointed at Gohan.

"Or him! Otherworlder!" Gohan shuddered.

"I'll just fly…" Gohan turned to leave, but Annabeth stopped him with a solid grip on his collar.

"Oh no you don't."

"Extra pay," Annabeth promised. "Three more drachma on arrival." "Done!" the woman screamed.

Reluctantly, they got in the cab. Percy crawled in first, Tyson squeezed in the middle. Gohan tried to squirm in, and found himself crushed between Annabeth and Tyson. Though, Gohan had to admit, being squeezed next to Annabeth was not all that bad. He felt his cheeks flush, and had a sudden memory flash of Master Roshi, and his numerous failed attempts with the ladies. Roshi would love this, though if he tried to squeeze anything, Annabeth would give him the business end of her knife. The thought caused to chuckle. Annabeth glared at him.

"Something funny?" she asked in a dry voice. Gohan smiled nervously.

"Just a memory from home." Gohan was fascinated by the cab.

The interior was also smoky gray, but it felt solid enough. The seat was cracked and lumpy— no different than most taxis. There was no Plexiglas screen separating us from the old lady driving ... Wait a minute. There wasn't just one old lady. There were three, all crammed in the front seat, each with stringy hair covering her eyes, bony hands, and a charcoal-colored sackcloth dress.

The one driving said, "Long Island! Out-of-metro fare bonus! Ha!"

She floored the accelerator, and his head slammed against the backrest. A prerecorded voice came on over the speaker: Hi, this is Ganymede, cup-bearer to Zeus, and when I'm out buying wine for the Lord of the Skies, I always buckle up!

Gohan looked down and found a large black chain instead of a seat belt. He decided safe was better than sorry, and held the chain against his stomach.

The cab sped around the corner of West Broadway, and the gray lady sitting in the middle screeched, "Look out! Go left!"

"Well, if you'd give me the eye, Tempest, I could see that!" the driver complained. Wait a minute. Give her the eye?

Gohan didn't have time to ask questions because the driver swerved to avoid an oncoming delivery truck, ran over the curb with a jaw-rattling thump, and flew into the next block.

"Wasp!" the third lady said to the driver. "Give me the girl's coin! I want to bite it."

"You bit it last time, Anger!" said the driver, whose name must've been Wasp. "It's my turn!" "Is not!" yelled the one called Anger. The middle one, Tempest, screamed, "Red light!" "Brake!" yelled Anger. Instead, Wasp floored the accelerator and rode up on the curb, screeching around another corner, and knocking over a newspaper box. Gohan had to admit, this was a thrilling ride.

"Excuse me," Percy said. "But ... can you see?" "No!" screamed Wasp from behind the wheel. "No!" screamed Tempest from the middle. "Of course!" screamed Anger by the shotgun window. Both boys looked at Annabeth. "They're blind?" "Not completely," Annabeth said. "They have an eye."

"One eye?" Gohan asked

"Yeah." "Each?" "No. One eye total." Gohan perked up.

"Oh, I know this! I saw the movie! These guys are the Fates, right? They see the future and cut the thread!" For some reason, Percy visibly shuddred when Gohan said that, and Annabeth let out a loud groan as she covered her face.

"Stupid Disney!" Anger yelled.

"Got us all wrong! Mixed us up with the Fates!" Tempest added.

"We had nothing to do with Hercules! Now everyone thinks we're the same!" Wasp finished. Then, Annabeth managed to whack Gohan upside the head.

"OW! What was that for?" he demanded.

"I explicitly told you _not_ to see that movie! It's so innacurate! Plus they made my mom look stupid!" she hissed. Gohan shrugged.

"I liked it." That earned him another smack.

Next to him, Tyson groaned and grabbed the seat. "Not feeling so good."

"Oh, man," Percy said, because he'd seen Tyson get carsick on school field trips and it was not something you wanted to be within fifty feet of. "Hang in there, big guy. Anybody got a garbage bag or something?" Gohan glared at him.

"Do it on me, and I will throw you out of this cab! Literally!"

The three gray ladies were too busy squabbling to pay him any attention. He looked over at Annabeth, who was hanging on for dear life, and gave her a why-did-you-do-this-to-me look.

"Hey, guys" she said, "Gray Sisters Taxi is the fastest way to camp."

"Then why didn't you take it from Virginia?"

"That's outside their service area," she said, like that should be obvious. "They only serve Greater New York and surrounding communities."

"We've had famous people in this cab!" Anger exclaimed. "Jason! You remember him?"

"Don't remind me!" Wasp wailed. "And we didn't have a cab back then, you old bat. That was three thousand years ago!"

"Give me the tooth!" Anger tried to grab at Wasp's mouth, but Wasp swatted her hand away. "Only if Tempest gives me the eye!" "No!" Tempest screeched. "You had it yesterday!" "But I'm driving, you old hag!"

"Excuses! Turn! That was your turn!"

Wasp swerved hard onto Delancey Street, squishing Gohan between Tyson and Annabeth. She punched the gas and they shot up the Williamsburg Bridge at seventy miles an hour. Gohan had to admit, he was having a blast.

The three sisters were fighting for real now, slapping each other as Anger tried to grab at Wasp's face and Wasp tried to grab at Tempest's. With their hair flying and their mouths open, screaming at each other, Gohan realized that none of the sisters had any teeth except for Wasp, who had one mossy yellow incisor. Instead of eyes, they just had closed, sunken eyelids, except for Anger, who had one bloodshot green eye that stared at everything hungrily, as if it couldn't get enough of anything it saw. To be fair, it wasn't the most disturbing thing he had ever seen, though it still made him shudder.

"So… why do you guys hate Otherworlders?" he asked.

"Unknown!"

"Unpredictable!"

"Dangerous!" Gohan sighed.

"Geez, sorry for asking." He pouted, ignoring Annabeth's glare.

Finally Anger, who had the advantage of sight, managed to yank the tooth out of her sister Wasp's mouth. This made Wasp so mad she swerved toward the edge of the Williamsburg Bridge, yelling, "'Ivit back! 'Ivit back!"

Tyson groaned and clutched his stomach. "Uh, if anybody's interested," Percy said, "we're going to die!" Gohan cheered as he held his hands up.

"Extreme!" he cheered.

"Don't worry," Annabeth said, sounding pretty worried. "The Gray Sisters know what they're doing. They're really very wise."

This coming from the daughter of Athena, but Percy wasn't exactly reassured. They were skimming along the edge of a bridge a hundred and thirty feet above the East River.

"Yes, wise!" Anger grinned in the rearview mirror, showing off her newly acquired tooth. "We know things!"

"Every street in Manhattan!" Wasp bragged, still hitting her sister. "The capital of Nepal!" "The location you seek!" Tempest added.

Immediately her sisters pummeled her from either side, screaming, "Be quiet! Be quiet! He didn't even ask yet!"

"What?" Percy said. "What location? I'm not seeking any—" "Nothing!" Tempest said. "You're right, boy. It's nothing!"

"Tell me." "No!" they all screamed.

"The last time we told, it was horrible!" Tempest said. "Eye tossed in a lake!" Anger agreed. "Years to find it again!" Wasp moaned. "And speaking of that—give it back!" "No!" yelled Anger. "Eye!" Wasp yelled. "Gimme!"

She whacked her sister Anger on the back. There was a sickening pop and something flew out of Anger's face. Anger fumbled for it, trying to catch it, but she only managed to bat it with the back of her hand. The slimy green orb sailed over her shoulder, into the backseat, and straight into Gohan's lap. He froze as he looked at the rolling eye in his lap.

"Ummmmm…" he numbly said as he looked at the disembodied eye.

"I can't see!" all three sisters yelled. "Give me the eye!" Wasp wailed. "Give her the eye!" Annabeth screamed.

"I'm not picking that up!" Gohan protested as he pushed himself back, causing the eye to roll off his lap and onto the floor.

The taxi slammed against the guardrail and skidded along with a horrible grinding noise. The whole car shuddered, billowing gray smoke as if it were about to dissolve from the strain.

"Going to be sick!" Tyson warned. "Annabeth," Percy yelled, "let Tyson use your backpack!" "Are you crazy? Get the eye!"

Wasp yanked the wheel, and the taxi swerved away from the rail. They hurtled down the bridge toward Brooklyn, going faster than any human taxi. The Gray Sisters screeched and pummeled each other and cried out for their eye.

Then, Percy ripped off a chunk of his tie-dyed T-shirt, which was already falling apart from all the burn marks, and used it to pick the eyeball off the floor.

"Nice boy!" Anger cried, "Give it back!" "Not until you explain," Percy told her. "What were you talking about, the location I seek?" "No time!" Tempest cried. "Accelerating!"

Sure enough, trees and cars and whole neighborhoods were now zipping by in a gray blur. They were already out of Brooklyn, heading through the middle of Long Island.

"Percy," Annabeth warned, "they can't find our destination without the eye. We'll just keep accelerating until we break into a million pieces."

"First they have to tell me," Percy said. "Or I'll open the window and throw the eye into oncoming traffic."

"No!" the Gray Sisters wailed. "Too dangerous!"

"I'm rolling down the window."

"Wait!" the Gray Sisters screamed. "30, 31, 75, 12!"

They belted it out like a quarterback calling a play.

"What do you mean?" Percy said. "That makes no sense!"

"30, 31, 75, 12!" Anger wailed. "That's all we can tell you. Now give us the eye! Almost to camp!"

They were off the highway now, zipping through the countryside of northern Long Island.

"Wait!" somehow, Gohan managed to smack the eye right out of Percy's hand, landing cleanly in his.

"What are you doing?" Percy cried.

"Tell me how to get home! Tell me how to get back to my Earth!" Gohan roared.

"Don't know!" Anger wailed.

"Forbidden! Tempest added

"Lost knowledge! Forgotten!" Wasp finished

"LIAR! Tell me, or I'll crush this eye into goop!" Percy was terrified at how fast Gohan had changed. He had been goofy one minute, but now he was cold and furious.

"We don't know!" They all screamed in unison.

"Gohan!" Annabeth screamed

They could see Half-Blood Hill ahead of them, with its giant pine tree at the crest—Thalia's tree, which contained the life force or a fallen hero.

"Gohan!" Annabeth roared. "Give them the eye now!" For one agonizing second, Gohan glared at the eye in his hands with a cold expression. But then, his shoulders sagged in defeat, and threw the eye into Wasp's lap.

The old lady snatched it up, pushed it into her eye socket like somebody putting in a contact lens, and blinked. "Whoa!"

She slammed on the brakes. The taxi spun four or five times in a cloud of smoke and squealed to a halt in the middle of the farm road at the base of Half-Blood Hill.

Tyson let loose a huge belch. "Better now." Percy looked at Gohan for a second, before looking at the sisters. "All right," Percy told the Gray Sisters. "Now tell me what those numbers mean." "No time!" Annabeth opened her door. "We have to get out now." Gohan was about to ask why, when he looked up at Half-Blood Hill and understood. At the crest of the hill was a group of campers. And they were under attack.


	6. Mess With Bulls, You Get Burned

Gohan had to admit; this day was not going the way he had imagined that it was going to go. Now there was a new problem: two bulls. And not just regular bulls—bronze ones the size of elephants. And even that wasn't bad enough. Naturally they had to breathe fire, too.

As soon as they exited the taxi, the Gray Sisters peeled out, heading back to New York, where life was safer. They didn't even wait for their extra three-drachma payment. They just left the small group on the side of the road, Annabeth with nothing but her backpack and knife, Tyson and Percy still in our burned-up tie-dyed gym clothes, and a brooding Gohan. He was angry, both at himself and the answer he had gotten, or rather, not gotten. But, he quickly pushed those concerns aside, given the current situation.

"Oh, man," said Annabeth, looking at the battle raging on the hill.

What worried them most weren't the bulls themselves. Or the ten heroes in full battle armor who were getting their bronze-plated booties whooped. What was worrisome was that the bulls were ranging all over the hill, even around the back side of the pine tree. That shouldn't have been possible. The camp's magic boundaries didn't allow monsters to cross past Thalia's tree. But the metal bulls were doing it anyway. Gohan voiced this.

"I thought you said that the camp was protected from this kinda stuff!"

"It is! I mean, it should be!"

One of the heroes shouted, "Border patrol, to me!" A girl's voice—gruff and familiar.

Border patrol? Percy thought. The camp didn't have a border patrol. "It's Clarisse," Annabeth said. "Come on, we have to help her."

Normally, rushing to Clarisse's aid would not have been high on Percy or Gohan's "to do" list. She was one of the biggest bullies at camp. The first time Gohan had met her, she tried to introduce his head to a toilet. Not that she got very far, as he had made quick work of her, even while in an amnesia state. She was also a daughter of Ares, and he'd had a very serious disagreement with her father last summer, so now the god of war and all his children basically hated his guts. This was amplified even more by the fact Gohan had completely demolished Ares and made them laughingstocks, amplified due to the factg he had taken and was _still_ using Ares' shield, something the Ares campers considered a grave insult. In fact, they had actually tried to steal the shield during the last weeks of camp last year, failing each time.

Still, she was in trouble. Her fellow warriors were scattering, running in panic as the bulls charged. The grass was burning in huge swathes around the pine tree. One hero screamed and waved his arms as he ran in circles, the horse-hair plume on his helmet blazing like a fiery Mohawk. Clarisse's own armor was charred. She was fighting with a broken spear shaft, the other end embedded uselessly in the metal joint of one bull's shoulder. Still, Gohan chuckled. Compared to Ares and Set, or even Medusa's sister, this was easy. Gohan smirked as he pressed his armband, causing Ascension to grow in his hand.

"Stay back, Annabeth. I've got this!" Then, a blue light blazed around Gohan as he shot forward like a comet.

"No! Wait!" But, Gohan ignored her as he cocked his fist back, going right for the left bull.

"HEY GOLDY!" The bull turned to face him, its eyes blazing red. Then, Gohan slugged the bull in the face, sending it flying ten feet with a loud clang. The bull smashed into the foot of Half Blood Hill. Gohan grinned, until the bull stood up again and whirled towards him with blazing red eyes, albeit now with a fist-shaped mark on its face. Clarisse whirled on Gohan with blazing eyes.

"YOU!" She roared with , Gohan felt a weird tickle on his hand, and looked down to see that it was on fire, which was quickly spreading up his cloak. His knuckled felt like someone had dipped them in molten magma.

"OH COME ON! NOT AGAIN! HOOOOOTTTTT!" Gohan screamed as he ran around in circles, rapidly waving his hand and trying to blow out the flame.

"That moron! I told him to wait!" Annabeth cursed.

Percy uncapped his ballpoint pen. It shimmered, growing longer and heavier until he held the bronze sword Anaklusmos in his hands. "Tyson, stay here. I don't want you taking any more chances. I'm going to go help Gohan."

"No!" Annabeth said. "We need him." Percy stared at her. "He's mortal. He got lucky with the dodge balls but he can't—"

"Percy, do you know what those are up there? The Colchis bulls, made by Hephaestus himself. We can't fight them without Medea's Sunscreen SPF 50,000. We'll get burned to a crisp. Which is what's happening to Muscle-head right now." She gestured at Gohan, who had finally managed to blow his hand out. He then screamed and flipped into the air, barely avoiding getting gorged by the pissed bull that he had punched.

"Medea's what?"

Annabeth rummaged through her backpack and cursed. "I had a jar of tropical coconut scent sitting on my night-stand at home. Why didn't I bring it?"

"Look, I don't know what you're talking about, but I'm not going to let Gohan or Tyson get fried."

"Percy—" "Tyson, stay back." Percy raised his sword. "I'm going in."

Tyson tried to protest, but Percy was already running up the hill toward Clarisse, who was yelling at her patrol, trying to get them into phalanx formation. It was a good idea. The few who were listening lined up shoulder-to-shoulder, locking their shields to form an ox-hide—and-bronze wall, their spears bristling over the top like porcupine quills. Unfortunately, Clarisse could only muster six campers. The other four were still running around with their helmets on fire. Gohan then decided to take matters nto his own hands, literally. He stopped himself in midair and looked downwards towards the bulls, which were eyeing Percy and Clarisse. The bulls moved deadly fast for something so big. Its metal hide gleamed in the sun. It had fist-sized rubies for eyes, and horns of polished silver. When it opened its hinged mouth, a column of white-hot flame blasted out.

"HEY! YOU, BIG COWS!" This caused both bulls to pause and look up at the saiyan, steam shooting out of their noses. Gohan sneered.

"Everyone back! These morons are mine!" then, he yet out a massive roar, and a bright blue light burst out around him, illuminating him like a massive flame.

"I'll pull out a classic here." Then, Gohan pressed his hands into a triangle shape, and focused on the bulls.

"Oooohhh boy… run! This is going to be big!" Percy quickly took several steps back.

"Never! The children of Ares don't back down!" Annabeth was horrified.

"Gohan, stop! The tree!" she screamed in horror. But, Gohan simply smirked.

"I'm good… TRI-BEAM HA!" Gohan roared. Then, a bright blue light shot from Gohan's hand and slammed into the ground. The light blinded them first, followed by the shockwave. It sent Percy, Clarisse, and the other campers tumbling down towards camp, while Tyson slid back several feet. Percy let out a groan as he climbed to his feet, somehow keeping a firm grip on his sword. Clarisse rose to her feet next to him, gnashing her teeth in rage.

"Arrogant bastard! Stealing my glory again!" Gohan panted as he floated over the air, sweating as he took several ragged breaths. Annabeth appeared next to Percy, her face white.

"Reckless! If he hit Thalia's tree!"

"There, I think that did it." Gohan smirked as he floated downwards. The smoke then faded, revealing a surprising sight.

"Whoa." Percy gaped. Where the bulls once where, a square hole now sat. He peeped over the edge, but couldn't see the bottom. Thankfully, the hole stopped a foot away from the tree. Gohan landed in front of them, and flourished a bow.

"YOU!" Clarisse gnashed her teeth in rage.

"Well, you can all thank me later." Annabeth cocked her head curiously.

"Thank you?" she asked with a sarcastic tone. Gohan frowned.

"Ummmm… yeah. Because I just blew up the bulls that set your friends on fire." Percy sighed. This wasn't going to end well. Then, the smell of smoke made him look behind Gohan to see steam rise from the hole, followed by a faint orange glow. His eyes grew wide.

"Ummmm… Gohan?" Gohan looked annoyed.

"Come on, Percy. This is like, the second time I've save you guys today! And I burned my hand! Again!" The ground rumbled under their feet.

"Gohan!" Percy roared. Gohan frowned.

"What?" He turned just in time to see the ground shake in front of the hole. Then, a bright gold leg shot out and clawed at the dirt in front of them. A second later, both bulls burst over the edge of the hole, their eyes dark red, and steam shooting from every part of their bodies. However, there were _some_ signs of damage. There were now several holes over the metal shell of the bulls, and one of them was missing an eye.

"Okay then…" Gohan pulled Ascension out again and held it high.

"Looks like the rodeo's not done yet!" That got a chorus of groans.

"What?" Gohan asked in confusion.

"Really? Rodeo?" Annabeth asked.

"Don't judge me." Then, both bulls roared and charged forward.

"REFORM! TO ME!" Clarisse roared as she raised her spear.

"Uh-oh!" Gohan yelped as he leaped into the air. He first a bight yellow blast with his left, but the bull just smashed right through it and kept going, not fazed in the slightest.

Annabeth taunted one of the bulls into chasing her, then turned invis-ible, completely confusing the monster. The other bull charged Clarisse's line.

"Hold the line!" Clarisse ordered her warriors.

Whatever else you could say about Clarisse, she was brave. She was a big girl with cruel eyes like her father's. She looked like she was born to wear Greek battle armor, but Gohan didn't see how even she could stand against that bull's charge. The thing took a freaking Tri-Beam attack and kept going.

Unfortunately, at that moment, the other bull lost interest in finding Annabeth. It turned, wheeling around behind Clarisse on her unprotected side.

"Behind you!" Gohan yelled. "Look out!"

Number One crashed into her shield, and the phalanx broke. Clarisse went flying backward and landed in a smoldering patch of grass. The bull charged past her, but not before blasting the other heroes with its fiery breath. Their shields melted right off their arms. They dropped their weapons and ran as Bull Number Two closed in on Clarisse for the kill. Then, Gohan landed in front of Clarisse and held his arm out, causing his cloak to turn back into the large black shield of Ares. He swung his arm out like a baseball bat, smashing the bull across the face and sending it tumbling away from them with a loud gong, like a church bell. Percy gave it a good swipe with Riptide and cut a huge gash in its flank, but the monster just creaked and groaned and kept on going.

"Let me go!" Clarisse pummeled Gohan's back. "Curse you! How dare you use that shield!" Gohan gave her an annoyed look as the shield shrank in his hands, until it was a red armband.

"For the last time, I won it from your dad in a fair fight!" Gohan turned to face the bulls as Percy ran up beside him, panting. They were on the inside slope of the hill now, the valley of Camp Half-Blood directly below them—the cabins, the training facilities, the Big House—all of it at risk if these bulls got past them.

Annabeth shouted orders to the other heroes, telling them to spread out and keep the bulls distracted.

Bull Number One ran a wide arc, making its way back toward them. As it passed the middle of the hill, where the invisible boundary line should've kept it out, it slowed down a little, as if it were struggling against a strong wind; but then it broke through and kept coming, avoiding the new hole. Bull Number Two turned to face them, fire sputtering from the holes Gohan had made, and the gash Percy had cut in its side. He couldn't tell if it felt any pain, but its ruby eyes seemed to glare at him like he'd just made things personal.

"These things are tough!" Gohan panted.

"That's an understatement." Percy added.

"Got any ideas that don't involve nearly blowing us up again?" Gohan glared at him, before looking back at the bulls. He frowned at the sparking holes, and then looked down at his sword, which shot off several bright blue sparks.

"Maybe… we can overload them." Percy looked at Gohan's sword and seemed to understand. Percy's arms already felt tired. He realized how long it had been since he'd worked out with Riptide, and how out of practice he was. Gohan seemed to tell.

"You really didn't practice at all this year, did you?" Percy shrugged. Gohan gritted his teeth.

"Divide and conquer! We'll take out Bull Number Two first, cut its head off!" Gohan shot his fist out, and fired a large bright blue blast at Bull Number 2. For a second, it vanished behind the smoke of a large explosion that blew past the. Then, the bull shot out of the smoke with a massive roar, blowing out plumes of fire as it raced towards them.

"Okay, on my mark…" Gohan tensed as he held up his sword. It vibrated in his hands, making his hair stand on end. The bull roared as it picked up speed, the ground shaking.

"MARK!" Gohan leaped into the air just as the bull reached them, while Percy dove to the left and slashed at its leg, causing it to roar and stumble. Gohan then took advantage of this and stabbed downward, plunging Ascension through one of the holes in the bull's back. Gohan felt the sword shake in his hands, indicating that electricity was pouring into the bull. This was also evidenced by the bull's new behavior. It let out an ear-splitting roar as it bucked, while Gohan held on for dear life, ignoring the burning in his feet. Steam was rapidly shooting out of all the bull's holes, as its body began to shake and glow. Its eyes grey brighter and brighter, until they exploded in a pair of red flashes. Gohan let out a scream as his body throbbed with pain, both from the electricity shooting through him and the ever-increasing heat.

"Let go! Gohan, let go!" Percy screamed as he chased after Gohan and the rampaging bull, which was getting more and more violent. It was thrashing in every direction like a snake, letting out a higher and higher screech. Campers screamed and ran in the opposite direction as the bull drew closer. Then, unexpectantly, the bull froze in place, nearly throwing Gohan off, but he managed to hold in. Then, the bull began to violently shake, like someone with a bad case of the chills. Sparks danced across its body, glowing brighter and brighter.

"Let go!" Gohan nodded as he let go and jumped, but it was too late. The bull exploded in a massive blast of fire and sparks, sending out debris in every direction. The force sent both Gohan and Percy flying. Gohan smashed into the back of a large tree, which shuddered. He groaned as he slumped against the base, semi-conscious. Percy, on the other hand, was sent tumbling across the ground like a ball, letting out a loud groan as he finally rolled to a stop. The first bull let out a roar of rage at the death of its companion, and raced towards Percy. He tried to get up, but pain shot up his ankle. His ankle was sprained, maybe broken.

Bull Number One charged straight toward him. No way could he crawl out of its path, and Gohan was still pretty dazed. Annabeth shouted: "Tyson, help him!" Somewhere near, toward the crest of the hill, Tyson wailed, "Can't—get—through!" "I, Annabeth Chase, give you permission to enter camp!"

Thunder shook the hillside. Suddenly Tyson was there, barreling toward Percy, yelling: "Percy needs help!"

Before Percy could tell him no, he dove between him and the bull just as it unleashed a nuclear firestorm.

"Tyson!" Percy yelled.

The blast swirled around him like a red tornado. Percy could only see the black silhouette of his body. But when the fire died, Tyson was still standing there, completely unharmed. Not even his grungy clothes were scorched. The bull must've been as surprised as Percy was, because before it could unleash a second blast, Tyson balled his fists and slammed them into the bull's face. "BAD COW!"

His fists made a crater where the bronze bull's snout used to be. Two small columns of flame shot out of its ears. Tyson hit it again, and the bronze crumpled under his hands like aluminum foil. The bull's face now looked like a sock puppet pulled inside out.

"Down!" Tyson yelled.

The bull staggered and fell on its back. Its legs moved feebly in the air, steam coming out of its ruined head in odd places.

Annabeth ran over to check on him.

Percy's ankle felt like it was filled with acid, but she gave him some Olympian nectar to drink from her canteen, and he immediately started to feel better. There was a burning smell that Percy later learned was himself. The hair on his arms had been completely singed off.

"Gohan?" Percy asked. Annabeth had a worried expression.

"He was pretty close to that blast." They hobbled over to the tree, where Gohan was still sitting.

"Gohan?" Gohan blinked and looked up at them, with a goofy expression on his face.

"Cool! Five Annabeths!" She sighed as she knelt and handed him her canteen.

"Here. Drink a little." Gohan took two gulps, and let out a deep sigh of relief.

"Oooohhh, my head." Percy sighed.

"That's what happens when a bull explodes in your face."

Clarisse pulled off her helmet and marched toward them. A strand of her stringy brown hair was smoldering, but she didn't seem to notice. "You—ruin—everything!" she yelled at them. "I had it under control!" Gohan groaned as he rolled his eyes and stumbled to his feet. He then let out several yelps as he hopped from one foot to the other.

"Ow!"

Annabeth grumbled, "Good to see you too, Clarisse." "Argh!" Clarisse screamed. "Don't ever, EVER try saving me again! Especially you!" she screamed as she pointed at Gohan. Gohan sighed.

"Really ?" she glared at him

"After all the humiliation you've caused to the name of Ares? NEVER!"

"Clarisse," Annabeth said, "you've got wounded campers." That sobered her up. Even Clarisse cared about the soldiers under her command. "I'll be back," she growled, then trudged off to assess the damage.

Percy stared at Tyson. "You didn't die." Tyson looked down like he was embarrassed. "I am sorry. Came to help. Disobeyed you."

"My fault," Annabeth said. "I had no choice. I had to let Tyson cross the boundary line to save you. Otherwise, you would've died."

"Let him cross the boundary line?'" Percy asked. "But—"

"Percy," she said, "have you ever looked at Tyson closely? I mean ... in the face. Ignore the Mist, and really look at him." Gohan raised his hand.

"I actually noticed something weird earlier, but the giants didn't give me a chance."

Once again, Gohan looked Tyson in the face. He forced myself to focus at his big lumpy nose, then a little higher at his eyes.

No, not eyes.

One eye. One large, calf-brown eye, right in the middle of his forehead, with thick lashes and big tears trickling down his cheeks on either side.

"Ummmm… whoa. One eye?" Gohan stammered.

"Tyson," Percy stammered. "You're a ..."

"Cyclops," Annabeth offered. "A baby, by the looks of him. Probably why he couldn't get past the boundary line as easily as the bulls. Tyson's one of the homeless orphans."

"One of the what?"

"They're in almost all the big cities," Annabeth said distastefully. "They're ... mistakes, Percy. Children of nature spirits and gods ... Well, one god in particular, usually ... and they don't always come out right. No one wants them. They get tossed aside. They grow up wild on the streets. I don't know how this one found you, but he obviously likes you. We should take him to Chiron, let him decide what to do."

"But the fire. How—"

"He's a Cyclops." Annabeth paused, as if she were remembering something unpleasant. "They work the forges of the gods. They have to be immune to fire. That's what I was trying to tell you."

Percy was completely shocked.

"Man, that Mist really confuses you, huh?" Gohan joked, causing Percy to glare at him.

But he didn't have much time to think about it just then. The whole side of the hill was burning, not to mention the new massive hole in the ground. Wounded heroes needed attention. And there were still one banged-up bronze bull to dispose of, which Percy didn't figure would fit in our normal recycling bins, not to mention the hundreds of pieces of the other bull that Gohan had exploded into shards.

"Stay here a second." Annabeth had a curious expression as she walked over to the smashed in bull.

Clarisse came back over and wiped the soot off her forehead. "Jackson, if you can stand, get up. We need to carry the wounded back to the Big House, let Tantalus know what's happened." She didn't even bother to acknowledge Gohan.

"Hey! I think I burned my feet!" Gohan continued to hop from foot to foot.

"Tantalus?" Percy asked. "The activities director," Clarisse said impatiently.

"Chiron is the activities director. And where's Argus? He's head of security. He should be here."

Clarisse made a sour face. "Argus got fired. You two have been gone too long. Things are changing."

"But Chiron ... He's trained kids to fight monsters for over three thousand years. He can't just be gone. What happened?"

"That happened," Clarisse snapped. She pointed to Thalia's tree.

Every camper knew the story behind the tree. Six years ago, Grover, Annabeth, and two other demigods named Thalia and Luke had come to Camp Half-Blood chased by an army of monsters. When they got cornered on top of this hill, Thalia, a daughter of Zeus, had made her last stand here to give her friends time to reach safety. As she was dying, her father, Zeus, took pity on her and changed her into a pine tree. Her spirit had reinforced the magic borders of the camp, protecting it from monsters. The pine had been here ever since, strong and healthy.

But now, its needles were yellow. A huge pile of dead ones littered the base of the tree. In the center of the trunk, three feet from the ground, was a puncture mark the size of a bullet hole, oozing green sap. Gohan frowned. He had felt something strange when he had first gotten back to camp, but he hadn't felly focused on it because of the bulls. But now he noticed it.

A sliver of ice ran through his chest. Now he understood why the camp was in danger. The magical borders were failing because Thalia's tree was dying.

Someone had poisoned it. Then, a sudden yell from Annabeth made Percy, Clarisse, and Gohan run towards her(Well, in Gohan's case, hopping.) Annabeth had her hands wrapped around one of the bull's eyes, and one foot pressed against its head. She gritted her teeth as she tried to pull it free.

"Chase, what are you doing?" Clarisse demanded.

"I… though I saw… there!" Annabeth let out a grunt as the eye ripped free, along with what seemed like a foot of wires. The eye blinked red and made a fizzing noise. Now that the whole thing was out, Percy noticed something strange. And familiar.

"Wait… is that a…"

"Camera." Annabeth nodded as she looked straight into the eye.

"This confirms it. Someone sent these bulls. And was watching us the whole time." Clarisse ripped the camera out of Annabeth's hand.

"Wait! We need that as proof!" Annabeth protested.

"Security first, Chase!" Then, Clarisse threw the camera on the ground, followed by the heel of her boot, causing the camera to shatter with a loud CRACK.


	7. The New Boss is a Douche

Cell was silent as the screens in front of him burst into static. All around him, the controllers were silent as they looked at him, fear dancing in their eyes.

"M…my lord… we've lost the signal." Cell rolled his eyes in annoyance as he leaned back on his throne. Simpering coward. Even under his control, these slaves were still terrified of him. Not that he minded. He enjoyed the fear. He had hunted for these designers and engineers across the globe, as well as several excursions into… alternatives. Not to mention that Dr. Gero had implanted him with quite an extensive array of scientific knowledge.

"Very observant. I suspected that would happen when both bulls were destroyed, and Miss Chase discovered the final camera." Cell replied sarcastically as he rested his chin in his palm. Frankly, he had never expected the bulls to actually work. He had simply wanted to test the boundaries after the poison had been administered to the tree. A toe in the water, if you would. As for that test… he would call it a smashing success. The boundaries had failed to stop the bulls. And as a bonus, he had acquired some excellent footage to study for the future. After all, to know one's enemy, one must study them extensively. Cell was undeterred. After all, he had plenty of patience… and had amassed quite a collection. Not to mention the other… projects. He pressed his lips together in annoyance.

"Prepare Project 373."

"Yes, my lord." Cell leaned back and smiled. He'll face Gohan again. When the time comes. Until then, he'd keep playing his role as the puppet master. In the meantime… he would continue working on _them_.

On the surface, things didn't look all that different. The Big House was still there with its blue gabled roof and its wraparound porch. The strawberry fields still baked in the sun. The same white-columned Greek buildings were scattered around the valley—the amphitheater, the combat arena, the dining pavilion overlooking Long Island Sound. And nestled between the woods and the creek were the same cabins—a crazy assortment of twelve buildings, each representing a different Olympian god.

But, like so many other places Gohan had been, there was an air of danger now. You could tell something was wrong. Instead of playing volleyball in the sandpit, counselors and satyrs were stockpiling weapons in the tool shed. Dryads armed with bows and arrows talked nervously at the edge of the woods. The forest looked sickly, the grass in the meadow was pale yellow, and the fire marks on Half-Blood Hill stood out like ugly scars. Someone had messed with his new home. Needless to say, Gohan was NOT a happy camper. Well, it was also partially due to a bull exploding in his face. Or being seared by EXTEMELY intense heat.

"OW!" Gohan yelped in annoyance, causing Lee Fletcher to glare at him. After the bulls had been defeated, Gohan had been helped to the makeshift medical tent that the Apollo campers had pitched, where they were working on the other campers that had been injured.

"You know, you'd get out of that bed a lot faster if you'd just let Abby finish." He stated. Gohan glared at him. After beating the bulls, Annabeth and Percy had helped him get to the big house, hopping in pain. One of Apollo's campers, Abby West, was working on his feet. She'd slathered some weird brown stuff on them and was humming a hymm in Ancient Greek, which Gohan couldn't understand at all. Still, he couldn't complain. The searing in his feet had ebbed into

"Great to see you too." Lee shrugged.

"Hey, you cost me ten drachmas. There was a bet going around about whether you'd show up this year. I figured you would have gotten back to your place by now." Gohan scowled at him.

"Really, Lee? Here, Gohan." Annabeth handed him a chunk of ambrosia. Gohan let out a loud moan of delight as it melted in his mouth. It tasted like cheeseburgers and french fries, slathered in ketchup. He had to be extremely careful with the stuff, through. Though he could consume ambrosia, if he ate too much, he would burn up. Annabeth was fascinated that he could actually eat it, as it was commonly thought that only demigods and gods could consume it. The tingling spread through his body, causing his remaining pain to fade.

"Still… that idea was awesome." Percy added, whom had already gotten his ankle looked at.

"You'll be fine. Just don't do anything crazy for the next day." Abby advised. Gohan climbed out of bed and stretched.

"Come on, let's go see Chiron." Annabeth stated.

As they made our way to the Big House, he recognized a lot of kids from last summer. Nobody stopped to talk. Nobody said, "Welcome back." Some did double takes when they saw Tyson, but most just walked grimly past and carried on with their duties—running messages, toting swords to sharpen on the grinding wheels.

None of that mattered to Tyson. He was absolutely fascinated by everything he saw. "Whasthat!" he gasped.

"The stables for pegasi," Percy said. "The winged horses." "Whasthat!"

"Um ... those are the toilets." Gohan answered.

"Whasthat!"

"The cabins for the campers. If they don't know who your Olympian parent is, they put you in the Hermes cabin—that brown one over there—until you're determined. Then, once they know, they put you in your dad or mom's group."

He looked at Percy in awe. "You ... have a cabin?" "Number three." Percy pointed to a low gray building made of sea stone. "You live with friends in the cabin?"

"Yeah. Well, just one. Gohan here."

Gohan felt awkward as Tyson looked at him.

"You are brothers?" Gohan shook his head.

"No. Poseidon just told me that I could stay there after I saved Percy last year." Gohan felt sheepish, though. He had actually suggested building a cabin for himself last summer,(not that he didn't like living with Percy), but Mr. D would have none of it.

When they got to the Big House, they found Chiron in his apartment, listening to his favorite 1960s lounge music while he packed his saddlebags.

As soon as they saw him, Tyson froze. "Pony!" he cried in total rapture. Chiron turned, looking offended. "I beg your pardon?"

Annabeth ran up and hugged him. "Chiron, what's happening? You're not ... leaving?" Her voice was shaky. Chiron was like a second father to her. Gohan felt a little awkward.

Chiron ruffled her hair and gave her a kindly smile. "Hello, child. And Percy, my goodness. You've grown over the year! Ah, Gohan." Gohan shifted nervously as Chiron looked at him.

"I see that you've certainly grown a bit." Gohan felt a little annoyed. He had actually called Chiron for help when that had first started, but had been rebuffed. Apparently because it was out of their jurisdiction. Still, Gohan was glad to see Chiron again. He was certainly an intriguing teacher, different from his father and Piccolo.

Percy swallowed. "Clarisse said you were ... you were ..."

"Fired." Chiron's eyes glinted with dark humor. "Ah, well, someone had to take the blame. Lord Zeus was most upset. The tree he'd created from the spirit of his daughter, poisoned! Mr. D had to punish someone."

"Besides himself, you mean," Gohan growled. Just the thought of the camp director, Mr. D, made him angry, causing several blue sparks to dance.

"But this is crazy!" Annabeth cried. "Chiron, you couldn't have had anything to do with poisoning Thalia's tree!"

"Nevertheless," Chiron sighed, "some in Olympus do not trust me now, under the circumstances."

"What circumstances?" PErcy asked.

Chiron's face darkened. He stuffed a Latin-English dictionary into his saddlebag while the Frank Sinatra music oozed from his boom box.

Tyson was still staring at Chiron in amazement. He whimpered like he wanted to pat Chiron's flank but was afraid to come closer. "Pony?"

Chiron sniffed. "My dear young Cyclops! I am a centaur." "Chiron," Gohan said. "What about the tree? What happened?"

He shook his head sadly. "The poison used on Thalia's pine is something from the Underworld. Some venom even I have never seen. It must have come from a monster quite deep in the pits of Tartarus."

"Then we know who's responsible. Kro—" "Do not invoke the titan lord's name, Percy. Especially not here, not now."

"But last summer he tried to cause a civil war in Olympus! This has to be his idea. He'd get Luke to do it, that traitor." Percy

"I knew I should have killed him when I had the chance." Gohan growled. Out of the corner of his eyes, he noticed Annabeth flinch. Chiron simple looked at him with a frown.

"Perhaps," Chiron said. "But I fear I am being held responsible because I did not prevent it and I cannot cure it. The tree has only a few weeks of life left unless ..."

"Unless what?" Annabeth asked.

"No," Chiron said. "A foolish thought. The whole valley is feeling the shock of the poison. The magical borders are deteriorating. The camp itself is dying. Only one source of magic would be strong enough to reverse the poison, and it was lost centuries ago."

"What is it?" Gohan asked. "We'll go find it!"

"Yeah!" Percy added

Chiron closed his saddlebag. He pressed the stop but-ton on his boom box. Then he turned and rested his hand on my shoulder, looking me straight in the eyes. "Percy, you must promise me that you will not act rashly. I told your mother I did not want you to come here at all this summer. It's much too dangerous. But now that you are here, stay here. Train hard. Learn to fight. But do not leave. Gohan, I would have given you the same message. Unfortunately, you had already left."

"Why?" Percy asked. "I want to do something! I can't just let the borders fail. The whole camp will be—"

"Overrun by monsters," Chiron said. "Yes, I fear so. But you must not let yourselves be baited into hasty action! This could be a trap of the titan lord. Remember last summer! He almost took your lives." Gohan looked annoyed.

"I'm not afraid of that pansy. I defeated Ares!" Chiron glared at him. Annabeth took a sharp intake of breath.

"Yes, and that was very impressive. Your skills are some of the most advanced that I've ever seen. But don't let that power deceive you. You may be more powerful than your opponents, but they are immortal. And the Titan lord's power far exceeded Ares." Gohan pressed his lips together in annoyance.

The poisoning had to be Luke's doing. Who else would be so low as to attack Thalia's tree, the only thing left of a hero who'd given her life to save her friends?

Annabeth was trying hard not to cry. Chiron brushed a tear from her cheek. "Stay with Percy, child," he told her. "Keep him safe. The prophecy—remember it!"

"I—I will."

"Hey, what about me?" Gohan protested angrily.

"I assumed that I wouldn't have had to ask you to protect Percy. And you seem more than capable of protecting yourself." Gohan's cheeks flushed in embarrassment.

"Um ..." Percy said. "Would this be the super-dangerous prophecy that has me in it, but the gods have forbidden you to tell me about?"

Nobody answered. "Right," Percy muttered. "Just checking."

"Chiron ..." Annabeth said. "You told me the gods made you immortal only so long as you were needed to train heroes. If they dismiss you from camp—"

"Swear you will do your best to keep Percy from danger," he insisted. "Swear upon the River Styx."

"I—I swear it upon the River Styx," Annabeth said. Thunder rumbled outside.

"Very well," Chiron said. He seemed to relax just a little. "Perhaps my name will be cleared and I shall return. Until then, I go to visit my wild kinsmen in the Everglades. It's possible they know of some cure for the poisoned tree that I have forgotten. In any event, I will stay in exile until this matter is resolved ... one way or another."

Annabeth stifled a sob. Chiron patted her shoulder awkwardly. "There, now, child. I must entrust your safety to Mr. D and the new activities director. We must hope ... well, perhaps they won't destroy the camp quite as quickly as I fear."

"Who is this Tantalus guy, anyway?" Percy demanded. "Where does he get off taking your job?"

A conch horn blew across the valley. Percy hadn't realized how late it was. It was time for the campers to assemble for dinner. Gohan's stomach rumbled.

"Foooooooddddd." Gohan moaned with wide eyes. Annabeth screamed with rage as she furiously rained blows on him. Gohan yelped as he covered his face.

"Ow, stop it! Stop it!" Chiron turned towards Annabeth.

"Annabeth, calm down!" Chiron ordered, causing her arms to slackrn.

"Go," Chiron said. "You will meet him at the pavilion. I will contact your mother, Percy, and let her know you're safe. No doubt she'll be worried by now. Just remember my warning! You are all in grave danger. Do not think for a moment that the titan lord has forgotten you!" Gohan wasn't sure if Chiron was referring to him or Percy when he said that.

"Gohan, may I have a word alone?" Annabeth wanted to protest, but grudgingly budged Percy and Tyson out. Once the door slammed, Chiron turned towards Gohan with a frown on his face.

"I was glad to hear that the situation in December was resolved." Gohan nodded. Frankly, he still had nightmares about the visions he had received in the Hall of Ages.

"Iskandar wanted me to tell you that he'll miss your matches." Chiron sighed.

"I was saddened to hear of his death. Though he and I had different interests, I considered him a friend. I see you still haven't found a way back to your dimension." Gohan sighed.

"Not from a lack of trying." He paused, full of different things he wanted to say from his adventure.

"I met Annabeth's mom." Slipped out, causing Chiron to look surprised.

"You met Athena? You spoke to her?" Gohan nodded, and described his encounter with Athena in Paris.(Again, Red Pyramid)

"I see. Honestly, I'm not surprised. Out of all the gods to aid you on that quest, I would have chosen her. She would have recognized the danger of Set before anyone else. By choosing you, she was able to circumvent the ancient laws." Gohan felt awkward.

"She talked to me about Annabeth." Now Chiron looked concerned.

"She told me to stay away from her. That she had seen that I would bring her much pain and suffering." Chiron had a grave expression on his face.

"That is… unusual. Even for Athena. Still, every hero's life is one of suffering. Still, I would take caution."

"Chiron… When I was in the House of Life… I had… visions." Chiron frowned.

"What kind of visions?" Gohan paused, but then described them(to get the specifics, see Gohan and the Red Pyramid) When he finished, Chiron looked troubled.

"This is… curious. Troublesome." Gohan frowned.

"What does it mean? Did you recognize anything I told you?" Chiron stroked the sides of his beard.

"Possibly several. The lush island with sheep… could it be the answer…" Gohan looked puzzled.

"What answer?" Chiron shook his head.

"Do not take those visions at face value, Gohan. They are as complicated as prophecies. What one sees could have an entirely different meaning than what it actually means. For now, stay at camp. Train, continue to get stronger. Protect Percy and Annabeth." Gohan wanted to protest, but solemly nodded.

With that, Chiron clopped out of the apartment and down the hall, Tyson calling after him, "Pony! Don't go!" Gohan felt pretty sad, to say the least. He really liked Chiron, and he had learned a lot about sword fighting from him.

Tyson started bawling almost as bad as Annabeth. Percy tried to tell them that things would be okay, but he didn't believe it. Gohan tried too, but that ended up going even worse.

"Look guys, relax! We'll get him back!" Then, without any warning, Annabeth slammed Gohan against the wall, her grey eyes blazing with rage.

"Whoa!"

"What the hell is wrong with you?" she demanded.

"What?" Gohan sputtered.

"Everything! The way you blew up the gym? Almost getting us killed on the taxi with the eye? Not to mention nearly destroying Thalia's tree with that blast! You've been acting wild and reckless." Gohan snarled as he swung his arm out, pushing Annabeth back.

"YOU WANT TO KNOW MY PROBLEM?" he roared.

"YES!" she screamed back. Gohan hissed as his fist clenched, causing blue sparks to dance around it. Percy could have sworn he saw sparks dancing around them. He had to interfere.

"GUYS! STOP!" he roared, causing the two of them to glare at him. Tyson wimpered.

"We're got to go eat! Food, remember?" Gohan sighed as he dusted himself off.

"Fine." He brushed past them as he stormed out of the house. Annabeth followed, angrily muttering under her breath.

"Are they mad?" Tyson whimpered. Percy sighed.

"Yeah. They are."

The sun was setting behind the dining pavilion as the campers came up from their cabins. They stood in the shadow of a marble column and watched them file in. Annabeth was still pretty shaken up, but she promised she'd talk to us later. Then she went off to join her siblings from the Athena cabin—a dozen boys and girls with blond hair and gray eyes like hers. Annabeth wasn't the oldest, but she'd been at camp more summers than just about anybody. You could tell that by looking at her camp necklace—one bead for every summer, and Annabeth had six. No one questioned her right to lead the line. Gohan smirked at the way she held herself. There were times she reminded him of his own mother, or Bulma. Even Vegeta."

Next came Clarisse, leading the Ares cabin. She had one arm in a sling and a nasty-looking gash on her cheek, but otherwise her encounter with the bronze bulls didn't seem to have fazed her. Someone had taped a piece of paper to her back that said, YOU MOO, GIRL! But nobody in her cabin was bothering to tell her about it.

After the Ares kids came the Hephaestus cabin—six guys led by Charles Beckendorf, a big fifteen-year-old African American kid. He had hands the size of catchers' mitts and a face that was hard and squinty from looking into a blacksmiths forge all day. He was nice enough once you got to know him, but no one ever called him Charlie or Chuck or Charles. Most just called him Beckendorf. Rumor was he could make anything. Give him a chunk of metal and he could create a razor-sharp sword or a robotic warrior or a singing birdbath for your grandmother's garden. Whatever you wanted.

The other cabins filed in: Demeter, Apollo, Aphrodite, Dionysus. Naiads came up from the canoe lake. Dryads melted out of the trees. From the meadow came a dozen satyrs, who reminded him of Grover.

Percy always had a soft spot for the satyrs. When they were at camp, they had to do all kinds of odd jobs for Mr. D, the director, but their most important work was out in the real world. They were the camp's seekers. They went undercover into schools all over the world, looking for potential half-bloods and escorting them back to camp. That's how he'd met Grover. He had been the first one to recognize he was a demigod. As for Gohan… well, that friendship hadn't come as easily. It could be said that it was still a little tense.

After the satyrs filed in to dinner, the Hermes cabin brought up the rear. They were always the biggest cabin. Last summer, it had been led by Luke, the guy who'd fought with Thalia and Annabeth on top of Half-Blood Hill. Gohan had mixed feelings about Hermes cabin. It had been his home very temporarily, but Luke he despised. He had seemed like a friend once, then betrayed him. He wasn't too keen on showing Luke mercy the next time they crossed paths. He was going to drag him to Olympus in the biggest chains he could find. Now the Hermes cabin was led by Travis and Connor Stoll. They weren't twins, but they looked so much alike it didn't matter. He could never remember which one was older. They were both tall and skinny, with mops of brown hair that hung in their eyes. They wore orange CAMP HALF-BLOOD T-shirts untucked over baggy shorts, and they had those elfish features all Hermes's kids had: upturned eyebrows, sarcastic smiles, a gleam in their eyes whenever they looked at you—like they were about to drop a firecracker down your shirt. Gohan always thought it was funny that the god of thieves would have kids with the last name "Stoll," but the only time he mentioned it to Travis and Connor, they both stared at him blankly like they didn't get the joke. Gohan stayed back, leaning against one of the pillars. Not that he wasn't going to eat with Percy. Technically, Gohan could sit wherever he liked, since he wasn't actually a demigod, not to mention the whole invitation from Poseidon. Furthermore, no one was really going to tell him otherwise. Frankly, Gohan was starting to understand why Vegeta had usually stated on the edge of big gatherings.

As soon as the last campers had filed in, Percy and Gohan led Tyson into the middle of the pavilion. Conversations faltered. Heads turned. "Who invited that?" somebody at the Apollo table murmured.

Gohan glared in their direction, causing them all to cringe.

From the head table a familiar voice drawled, "Well, well, if it isn't Peter Johnson. Oh… and the other one too. My millennium is complete." Gohan simply snorted in frustration.

Percy gritted his teeth. "Percy Jackson ... sir." Mr. D sipped his Diet Coke. "Yes. Well, as you young people say these days: Whatever."

He was wearing his usual leopard-pattern Hawaiian shirt, walking shorts, and tennis shoes with black socks. With his pudgy belly and his blotchy red face, he looked like a Las Vegas tourist who'd stayed up too late in the casinos. Behind him, a nervous-looking satyr was peeling the skins off grapes and handing them to Mr. D one at a time. Mr. D's real name was Dionysus. The god of wine. Zeus appointed him director of Camp Half- Blood to dry out for a hundred years—a punishment for chasing some off-limits wood nymph. To say he and Gohan had a… complicated relationship would be an understatement. When Gohan had been ripped from his world during his battle with Cell, he had crash-landed in Mr. D's strawberry fields, ripping up a large portion of them. Not that he had done it on purpose- he had been inches away from freaking DYING! He hadn't even been conscious. It was just bad luck, but Mr. D didn't seem to care. Even through he fixed the damage with a literal wave of his hand.

Next to him, where Chiron usually sat (or stood, in centaur form), was someone he'd never seen before—a pale, horribly thin man in a threadbare orange prisoner's jump-suit. The number over his pocket read 0001. He had blue shadows under his eyes, dirty fingernails, and badly cut gray hair, like his last haircut had been done with a weed whacker. He stared at them; his eyes made Percy nervous. Gohan simply met the stare and glared back. He had faced down gods and monsters, he wasn't afraid of this old man. He looked ... fractured. Angry and frustrated and hungry all at the same time.

"This boy," Dionysus told him, "you need to watch. Poseidon's child, you know." "Ah!" the prisoner said. "That one." His tone made it obvious that he and Dionysus had already discussed him at length. Mr. D then glared at Gohan.

"And then there's… that one." He said with a voice of loathing. Gohan sighed.

"So, this is the Otherworlder everyone's been talking about. I though he'd be… taller." Gohan groaned, getting a group of snickers from the Ares table.

"Still, I find it hard to believe this boy defeated Ares." That caused the Ares campers to hiss and snarl.

"His shield says different." Gohan held up his hand, causing it to appear and gleam in his arm. The man looked annoyed. Mr. D sighed as he rolled around Diet Coke in his glass.

"Apparently he can transform. Turn gold, or something like that. I'd throw him out, but Zeus has ordered me to allow him to stay here." The sky briefly rumbled.

"Who are you, anyway?" Gohan demanded

"I am Tantalus," the prisoner said, smiling coldly. "On special assignment here until, well, until my Lord Dionysus decides otherwise. And you, Perseus Jackson, I do expect you to refrain from causing any more trouble. The same goes for you, Gohan… what's your last name?"

"Son." He answered. Percy looked surprised.

"Wait, seriously? Your last name is Son?" Gohan looked surprised.

"Yeah. Didn't I tell you that?" Percy looked flabbergasted.

"No! And what do you mean by trouble?" Percy demanded.

Dionysus snapped his fingers. A newspaper appeared on the table—the front page of today's New York Post, There was his yearbook picture from Meriwether Prep.

"Thirteen year old named suspect in gym explosion." Gohan read out loud.

"Yes, trouble," Tantalus said with satisfaction. "You both caused plenty of it last summer, I understand."

Percy was too mad to speak.

A satyr inched forward nervously and set a plate of barbecue in front of Tantalus. The new activities director licked his lips. He looked at his empty goblet and said, "Root beer. Barq's special stock. 1967."

The glass filled itself with foamy soda. Tantalus stretched out his hand hesitantly, as if he were afraid the goblet was hot.

"Go on, then, old fellow," Dionysus said, a strange sparkle in his eyes. "Perhaps now it will work."

Tantalus grabbed for the glass, but it scooted away before he could touch it. A few drops of root beer spilled, and Tantalus tried to dab them up with his fingers, but the drops rolled away like quicksilver before he could touch them. He growled and turned toward the plate of barbecue. He picked up a fork and tried to stab a piece of brisket, but the plate skittered down the table and flew off the end, straight into the coals of the brazier. Gohan was surprised to say the least.

"Blast!" Tantalus muttered.

"Ah, well," Dionysus said, his voice dripping with false sympathy. "Perhaps a few more days. Believe me, old chap, working at this camp will be torture enough. I'm sure your old curse will fade eventually."

"Eventually," muttered Tantalus, staring at Dionysus's Diet Coke. "Do you have any idea how dry one's throat gets after three thousand years?"

"You're that spirit from the Fields of Punishment," Percy said. "The one who stands in the lake with the fruit tree hanging over you, but you can't eat or drink."

Tantalus sneered at him. "A real scholar, aren't you, boy?" Gohan shuddered

"That must suck." Gohan commented. Tantalus snarled at him.

"Yes, boy, it does… suck." He spat with venom in his voice.

"You must've done something really horrible when you were alive," Percy said, mildly impressed. "What was it?"

Tantalus's eyes narrowed. Behind him, the satyrs were shaking their heads vigorously, trying to warn Percy.

"I'll be watching you, Percy Jackson," Tantalus said. "I don't want any problems at my camp." "Your camp has problems already ... sir."

"Oh, go sit down, you two," Dionysus sighed. "I believe that table over there is yours—the one where no one else ever wants to sit. I'd stick Monkey-butt on a stool, but Barnacle-beard's pretty adamant."

Percy's face was burning, but he knew better than to talk back. Dionysus was an overgrown brat, but he was an immortal, superpowerful overgrown brat. He had to commend the fact that Gohan kept such a calm face. Percy said, "Come on, Tyson."

"Oh, no," Tantalus said. "The monster stays here. We must decide what to do with it."

"Him," Percy snapped. "His name is Tyson." The new activities director raised an eyebrow.

"Tyson helped saved the camp," Percy insisted. "He pounded that bronze bull. Otherwise they would've burned down this whole place."

"Yeah, like stabbing it with the Master Bolt sword did nothing at all." Gohan muttered under his breath.

"Yes," Tantalus sighed, "and what a pity that would've been."

Dionysus snickered.

"Leave us," Tantalus ordered, "while we decide this creature's fate."

Tyson looked at Percy with fear in his one big eye, but he knew that he couldn't disobey a direct order from the camp directors. Not openly, anyway. Gohan almost had to drag him back, though.

"I'll be right over here, big guy," Percy promised. "Don't worry. We'll find you a good place to sleep tonight."

Tyson nodded. "I believe you. You are my friend." Which made him feel a whole lot guiltier.

Percy and Gohan trudged over to the Poseidon table and slumped onto the bench. A wood nymph brought Percy a plate of Olympian olive-and-pepperoni pizza, while another brought Gohan three plates of ribs and two of pepperoni pizza. Percy wasn't hungry. He'd been almost killed twice today, and managed to end his school year with a complete disaster. Camp Half-Blood was in serious trouble and Chiron had told him not to do anything about it. Gohan whined, but took his dinner, as was customary, up to the bronze brazier and scraped part of it into the flames.

"Poseidon," Perct murmured, "accept my offering." And send me some help while you're at it, he prayed silently. Please."

"Hey. Someone. Help me find a way home." Gohan murmured as he dropped a slice of pizza in.

The smoke from the burning pizza changed into something fragrant—the smell of a clean sea breeze with wild-flowers mixed in.

The two of them went back to their seats, and Gohan promptly began eating. Now, watching Gohan eat… is a very excellent way of killing your own appetite. He inhaled two of the ribs like a vacuum, spitting out only bones. The pizza seemed to just vanish.

"Gug gug ug! Missed… fooooodd!" Gohan groaned as he inhaled the third set of ribs. The campers were… a bit disgusted. Not as much as the first time he did it, mind you. But, still pretty bad. Annabeth scrunched up her face in disgust.

But then Tantalus had one of the satyrs blow the conch horn to get their attention for announcements. Percy had a funny feeling it was also to get Gohan to stop eating, judged on his expression. Though, it was more an expression of jealously and rage than disgust.

"Yes, well," Tantalus said, once the talking had died down. "Another fine meal! Or so I am told." As he spoke, he inched his hand toward his refilled dinner plate, as if maybe the food wouldn't notice what he was doing, but it did. It shot away down the table as soon as he got within six inches.

"And here on my first day of authority," he continued, "I'd like to say what a pleasant form of punishment it is to be here. Over the course of the summer, I hope to torture, er, interact with each and every one of you children. You all look good enough to eat."

Dionysus clapped politely, leading to some halfhearted applause from the satyrs. Tyson was still standing at the head table, looking uncomfortable, but every time he tried to scoot out of the limelight, Tantalus pulled him back.

"And now some changes!" Tantalus gave the campers a crooked smile. "We are reinstituting the chariot races!"

Murmuring broke out at all the tables—excitement, fear, disbelief.

"Now I know," Tantalus continued, raising his voice, "that these races were discontinued some years ago due to, ah, technical problems."

"Three deaths and twenty-six mutilations," someone at the Apollo table called.

"Ouch." Gohan commented.

"Yes, yes!" Tantalus said. "But I know that you will all join me in welcoming the return of this camp tradition. Golden laurels will go to the winning charioteers each month. Teams may register in the morning! The first race will be held in three days time. We will release you from most of your regular activities to prepare your chariots and choose your horses. Oh, and did I mention, the victorious team's cabin will have no chores for the month in which they win?"

An explosion of excited conversation—no KP for a whole month? No stable cleaning? Was he serious?

Then the last person either Percy or Gohan expected to object did so.

"But, sir!" Clarisse said. She looked nervous, but she stood up to speak from the Ares table. Some of the campers snickered when they saw the YOU MOO, GIRL! sign on her back. "What about patrol duty? I mean, if we drop everything to ready our chariots—"

"Ah, the hero of the day," Tantalus exclaimed. "Brave Clarisse, who single-handedly bested the bronze bulls!" Gohan sputtered in disbelief.

"Say what?" he screeched. The roles were reversed as Percy had to hold Gohan back from throwing a riot.

Clarisse blinked, then blushed. "Um, I didn't—"

"Amen, she didn't! I got burned!" Gohan snarled. Tantalus ignored him.

"And modest, too." Tantalus grinned. "Not to worry, my dear! This is a summer camp. We are here to enjoy ourselves, yes?"

"But the tree—"

"And now," Tantalus said, as several of Clarisse's cabin mates pulled her back into her seat, "before we proceed to the campfire and sing-along, one slight housekeeping issue. Percy Jackson, Annabeth Chase and Monkey boy ("Hey!" Gohan yelled) have seen fit, for some reason, to bring this here." Tantalus waved a hand toward Tyson.

Uneasy murmuring spread among the campers. A lot of sideways looks at Percy. Percy wanted to kill Tantalus. Gohan wanted to throw him into space.

"Now, of course," he said, "Cyclopes have a reputation for being bloodthirsty monsters with a very small brain capacity. Under normal circumstances, I would release this beast into the woods and have you hunt it down with torches and pointed sticks. But who knows? Perhaps this Cyclops is not as horrible as most of its brethren. Until it proves worthy of destruction, we need a place to keep it! I've thought about the stables, but that will make the horses nervous. Hermes's cabin, possibly?"

Silence at the Hermes table. Travis and Connor Stoll developed a sudden interest in the tablecloth. The Hermes cabin was always full to bursting. There was no way they could take in a six-foot-three Cyclops.

"Come now," Tantalus chided. "The monster may be able to do some menial chores. Any suggestions as to where such a beast should be kenneled?"

Suddenly everybody gasped.

Tantalus scooted away from Tyson in surprise. All Percy could do was stare in disbelief at the brilliant green light that was about to change his life—a dazzling holographic image that had appeared above Tyson's head.

"Huh." Gohan commented.

With a sickening twist in my stomach, Percy remembered what Annabeth had said about Cyclopes, They're the children of nature spirits and gods ... Well, one god in particular, usually ...

Swirling over Tyson was a glowing green trident—the same symbol that had appeared above Percy the day Poseidon had claimed him as his son.

There was a moment of awed silence.

Being claimed was a rare event. Some campers waited in vain for it their whole lives. When he'd been claimed by Poseidon last summer, everyone had reverently knelt. But now, they followed Tantalus's lead, and Tantalus roared with laughter. "Well! I think we know where to put the beast now. By the gods, I can see the family resemblance!"

Everybody laughed except Annabeth, Gohan and a few of Percy's other friends.

Tyson didn't seem to notice. He was too mystified, trying to swat the glowing trident that was now fading over his head. He was too innocent to understand how much they were making fun of him, how cruel people were.

But Percy got it. He had a new cabin mate. Percy had a monster for a half-brother.


	8. Chariot Races and Crazy Pigeons

The next few days were torture, just like Tantalus wanted.

First there was Tyson moving into the Poseidon cabin, giggling to himself every fifteen seconds and saying, "Percy is my brother?" like he'd just won the lottery.

"Aw, Tyson," Percy would say. "It's not that simple."

But there was no explaining it to him. He was in heaven. And Percy ... as much as he liked the big guy, he couldn't help feeling embarrassed. Ashamed. Gohan's stance on this was a lot simpler.

"Same dad. You're brothers." He was a little annoyed that he had to muffle his ears at night to avoid Tyson's snoring.

And then there were the comments from the other campers. Suddenly, Percy wasn't Percy Jackson, the cool guy who'd retrieved Zeus's lightning bolt last summer. Now he was Percy Jackson, the poor schmuck with the ugly monster for a brother. As for Gohan… well, he was still the guy who defeated Ares, so no one was going to insult him to his face. Still, Percy heard campers(mostly from Ares), calling Cabin Three the "freak" cabin. Gohan really didn't pay attention to any of that. He was more focused on training, either with Ascention in sword-training, or simply training like he had done back home. He also spent a lot of time meditating near the ocean, often sitting there for hours without realizing it. He did find it annoying when the nyaids would squirt at him.

"He's not my real brother!" Percy protested whenever Tyson wasn't around. "He's more like a half- brother on the monstrous side of the family. Like ... a half-brother twice removed, or something."

Nobody bought it. Gohan was a little disapointed in Percy, to say the least.

"You should be more kind to Tyson." He stated as he and Percy circled each other during one of their sword-training practices. He held Ascension, while Percy held Riptide.

"I am!" Percy protested as he jabbed, but Gohan sidestepped him.

"Oh really? Not calling him your real brother? Your dad claimed him for a reason. Maybe you should give him a chance." Percy scowled

"Okay, now you're just being a kissass to my dad." He charged, but Gohan easily parried the hit and flipped Percy over his shoulder, causing him to land on the mat with a loud thud. Gohan stepped back.

"I'm just saying you should give him a chance. I wouldn't be here right now if my dad hadn't given people second chances." Percy scowled at him before stalking away.

Annabeth tried to make them both feel better. She suggested that they all team up for the chariot race to take their minds off their problems.

One morning, the small trio were sitting by the canoe lake sketching chariot designs when some jokers from Aphrodite's cabin walked by and asked Percy if he needed to borrow some eyeliner for his eye ... "Oh sorry, eyes." To make matters even worse, several of the girls then flashed Gohan big smiles.

"Hey Gohan, what do you think of my hair?" the shorter one, Drew, giggled as she flipped her head back and ran her hands through her silky hair. Annabeth looked like she wanted to throw Drew in the lake. Another one, Tracy winked at him, giggling as she tied up her shirt so it stopped right above her belybutton.

"You know, you should come by our cabin sometime. I'd love to give you a makeover. I have so many ideas for that hair, that face, those eyes, those abbs…" the other girls giggled. Gohan cocked his head in confusion.

"Um… thanks?" Drew snorted as she looked at Annabeth.

"I guess you should come by too. That hair needs work." The girls strolled away chattering amongst themselves.

Annabeth was seething. She looked so angry that Percy thought she was going to turn super saiyan herself.

"Wow, those girls are weird." Gohan remarked curiously. Percy boggled at him.

"You… do know that they were hitting on you, right?" Gohan looked confused.

"Hitting on me? What's that?" Now, Annabeth looked alarmed.

"Gohan… you do know what the difference between boys and girls is, right?" she asked. Gohan nodded.

"Yeah! I read it in a book. My mom wanted me to be a doctor… or a scholar…" Annabeth shook her head.

"No. I mean… did your mom or dad ever give you… the talk? About girls?" Gohan cocked his head in confusion.

"Ummm… my dad once told me about the pat-pat he did as a kid." Annabeth looked mortified.

"The what?" she asked.

"Well, when my dad was a little kid, he had been raised in the woods before Bulma found him. Because of that, he couldn't tell the difference between a boy and a girl. So, he did the pat-pat down below to tell the difference. If there was something there, guy. If not, a girl." Percy couldn't hold back. He began roaring with laughter so hard that he began crying. Annabeth was horrified, to say the least. Her face looked like a tomato

"Gohan.. don't ever do that. Ever." Gohan looked confused.

"Okay… I haven't." Percy laughed as he wiped tears from his eyes.

"Still… your mother never gave you the talk?" Gohan shrugged

"Between training with my dad and my studies, my mom never really talked to me about girls. Just that we'd talk when I was older." Annabeth sighed as she massaged her forehead.

"Geez, I'm starting to think that Tyson knows more about girls than Gohan." Percy sighed.

Annabeth grumbled, "Just ignore them, Percy. It isn't your fault you have a monster for a brother."

"He's not my brother!" Perct snapped. "And he's not a monster, either!"

Annabeth raised her eyebrows. "Hey, don't get mad at me! And technically, he is a monster." Gohan perked up.

"Does that mean that he's immortal?"

"Well you gave him permission to enter the camp." Percy ignored him as he pressed Annabeth.

"Because it was the only way to save your life! I mean ... I'm sorry, Percy, I didn't expect Poseidon to claim him. Cyclopes are the most deceitful, treacherous—"

"Okay, let's not let our tempers get the better of us!"

"He is not! What have you got against Cyclopes, any-way?

Annabeth's ears turned pink. Percy got the feeling there was something she wasn't telling him— something bad.

"Just forget it," she said.

"Right!" Gohan chimed in. "Now, the axle for this chariot-"

"You're treating him like he's this horrible thing," Percy said. "He saved my life."

"So did I, you know." Gohan grumbled.

Annabeth threw down her pencil and stood. "Then maybe you should design a chariot with him!"

"Okay, now let's just all calm down now…"

"Stay out of it!" Annabeth snapped at him.

"You know what, maybe I should!"

"Fine!"

"Fine!"She stormed off and left Percy feeling even worse than before. Gohan just looked puzzled.

"She sounds like my mom." He stated. Percy glared at him.

"Your mom must be one mean lady."

The next couple of days, the two of them tried to keep their minds off their problems. Though, to say they had different problems would be an understatement.

Silena Beauregard, one of the nicer girls from Aphrodite's cabin, gave Gohan and Gohan their first riding lesson on a pegasus. She was also one of the ONLY girls at the camp who didn't have a thing. Not because she didn't think he was cute, but that he was too young for her. Gohan liked the horses enough, and they seemed to like him. But, Gohan preferred his own flying over the pegasus, and simply watched. Plus, it didn't help that they apparantly thought he was a monkey, according to Percy.

Being the son of the sea god, Percy never liked going into the air. But riding a winged horse felt different. Maybe that was because his father had created horses out of sea foam, so the pegasi were sort of ... neutral territory. He could understand their thoughts.

The problem was that Tyson wanted to ride the "chicken ponies," too, but the pegasi got skittish whenever he approached. That made Tyson cry.

The one of the only people at camp who had no problem with Tyson was Beckendorf from the Hephaestus cabin. The blacksmith god had always worked with Cyclopes in his forges, so Beckendorf took Tyson down to the armory to teach him metalworking. He said he'd have Tyson crafting magic items like a master in no time. Gohan liked the armory enough, and always kept pitching Beckendorf new ideas about outfits and armor. Beckendorf was intrigued enough by Gohan's description of Saiyan armor and its elasticity.

"You think you can get me a sample of that stuff?" Gohan had given him an annoyed look. He was also intrigued by the idea of weighted clothing for training purposes, and promised to start looking into it.

After lunch, Gohan worked out in the arena with Apollo's cabin in swordplay. Now, Gohan still preferred his hands and ki blasts in an actual fight, but he resolved to use Ascension more often, for several reasons. One was that it was easier to kill monsters with the sword than ki blasts, and lessened collateral damage. Another was that he felt stronger with Ascension, and could deal more damage with his strikes. The third was after his disasterous duel with Set in Pheonix, he did not want to get shown up again. A pride thing. Being with a sword also reminded him of Future Trunks, who had handed his sword like a master before his training session with Vegeta.

Gohan thrashed the Apollo guys easily. Ares campers weren't much harder. They kept letting their tempers getting the best of them and rushing him. Gohan beat them all down with quick and precise strikes. It helped that the sword seemed to act like a tazer everytime it struck someone, like Clarisse's spear.

He should've gone against the Athena cabins, since they had the best sword fighters, but after the argument with Annabeth, Gohan didn't want to make things awkward. Ever been caught in the middle? It was NOT a pleseant experience. Gohan tried talking to Annabeth at her cabin, but it didn't work out very well. He found her working on the Athena charriot in front of the armory, which was on the side of the Athena cabin.

"I think that should go there…" she was stating to the camper that was welding the wheels.

"Annabeth, hey!" She looked back with an annoying glare.

"Seriously?" She gestured at her cabinmates, who tossed a large white tarp over the charriot.

"Percy sent you to spy on us? Really?" she demanded. Gohan held his hands up in defense.

"Hey, if I was here to spy on you, don't you think I'd be more subtle? Or hide?" Annabeth scowled at that.

"I suppose… what do you want?" she crossed her arms together as she glared at him. Gohan knew he had to choose his words carefully.

"Look, I'm just trying to… fix this. Fighting is not going to solve anything!" she looked insulted.

"You're accusing me?" Gohan instantly knew he had made a mistake.

"No, no! It's just that… arguing isn't going to fix this. I want us all to be friends again! Now's not the time to be arguing!" Annabeth looked offended.

"Look, muscle-head, I don't have a problem with Percy! I just think Tyson's really dangerous!" Gohan looked confused.

"But why? Tell me." Annabeth's face hardened.

"Just forget it." She stated coldly before walking back towards her chariot. Gohan groaned in exasperation before stomping away. In frustration, he kicked the side of the cabin… causing his foot to go right through the wall. Gohan let out a quick yelp before pulling his foot back out, staring in horror at the new hole in the cabin wall.

"Oooohhhh gods, she's going to kill me." Gohan peeped over the edge to see Annabeth deep in conversation with har cabinmates. He quickly stepped into the cabin, ignoring the gorgeous interior, and peeped at the wall, which had the metal edged curled upwards like flower petals.

"Oh gods, oh gods. Okay, maybe if I…" Gohan took each of the pieces and very carefully pushed them back down towards the hole, until they were back over the hole. Still, it looked horrible.

"Gahhh… hang on!" Gohan held his finger over two of the strips. Then, his finger sparked, until there was a steady light. He held it over the two pieces, causing them to melt together. He then pushed his finger down like a welding torch. He continued this until the pieces were back together. He looked over the damage from the outside, still disgusting.

"I am so dead…" Gohan trailed off when he noticed one of the large owl statues. With some grunt work, he pushed the statue in front of the hole.

"Okay… good." He quickly ran off. Looking back, Gohan should have just told Annabeth about his stupidity that day, because she was way more forgiving than her mother. As Gohan would one day find out, Athena did not approve of people kicking holes in her cabin.

Gohan went to archery class, even though it wasn't the same without Chiron teaching. He still had the same skill at it, though, making the Apollo campers jealous with being able to hit right in the middle from incredible long distances. It was a combination of his strength and precise eyesight, mostly.

And in the evenings, he did border patrol. Even though Tantalus had insisted we forget trying to protect the camp, some of the campers had quietly kept it up, working out a schedule during their free times.

Percy and Gohan sat at the top of Half-Blood Hill and watched the dryads come and go, singing to the dying pine tree. Satyrs brought their reed pipes and played nature magic songs, and for a while the pine needles seemed to get fuller. The flowers on the hill smelled a little sweeter and the grass looked greener. But as soon as the music stopped, the sickness crept back into the air. The whole hill seemed to be infected, dying from the poison that had sunk into the tree's roots. The longer Percy sat there, the angrier he got. Gohan just focused and meditated. He could actually sense the tree through his ki, one of the few things he managed to sense in this world. It felt like it was flickering, and was fading. Gohan wished that he could heal with his ki like Dende. Maybe it would have worked here.

"Luke did this." Percy finally spoke. Gohan opened his eyes as he floated to the ground.

"That's obvious. Probably following the orders of his master. Not the titan guy, the other one." Percy nodded. He opened the palm of his hand. The scar Luke had given him last summer was fading, but he could still see it—a white asterisk-shaped wound where his pit scorpion had stung him. If not for Gohan, he would have died.

Percy thought about what Luke had told him right before he'd tried to kill him: his speesch about hating the gods, his mysterious partner. Percy wondered how long it would be before he met this mastermind.

At night, Percy had more dreams of Grover. Sometimes, he just heard snatches of his voice. Once, Percy heard him say: It's here. Another time: He likes sheep. He shook Gohan awake when he woke up and told him about what he had dreamed. The first thing Gohan had told him was a bunch of mumbling, as he didn't appreciate a rude awakening, before rolling over and going back to sleep.

He thought about telling Annabeth about his dreams, but he would've felt stupid. She would've thought he was crazy.

The night before the race, the small trio finished their chariot. It was wicked cool. Tyson had made the metal parts in the armory's forges. Percy had sanded the wood and put the carriage together. Gohan had come up with the design. It was blue, white, and gold with wave designs on the sides and a trident painted on the front. On top of that, Gohan had added blue electric streaks dancing across the chariot.

After all that work, it was decided that Gohan would rise shotgun with Percy, and Tyson would work as pit crew. Percy knew the horses wouldn't like it with Tyson, and Tyson's extra weight would slow them down.

One night, while Percy was on patrol, it was just Gohan and Tyson. Gohan was meditating in the center of the cabin, with Tyson looking at him curiously.

"Is Percy mad?"

"What makes you say that?" Gohan answered.

"He mad when I'm around. I am a monster."

"Don't say that."

"It is okay. I will be a good monster. Then he will not have to be mad." Gohan opened his eyes as he gazed at Tyson.

"Tyson, I'm more of a monster than you." Tyson sniffed.

"You are trying to make me feel better." Gohan smirked.

"I'm not lying, Tyson. I have a tail, and I can transform. Do you know what would happen if I looked at the full moon?" Tyson looked at Gohan curiously.

"I'd turn into a rampaging beast." Tyson looked curious.

"You are lying?" Gohan shook his head.

"No. I think that Percy does care about you, he's just a bit… preoccupied at the 's worried about the camp. And another friend of ours, Grover ... he might be in trouble."

Tyson looked at him.

"Why you want to leave?" Gohan was confused.

"What?" Tyson cocked his head curiosly.

"You always talk about going home. You no like it here?"

"Oh! Ummmm… no, that's not it! I like this world, I really do! I mean, it's just that my parents are back home, and my friends…"

"You have no friends here?"

"Of course I do! I love it here, I've actually got friends my age who are like… me…" Gohan was a bit taken back by the words he was saying.

Gohan heard a deep rumbling sound. Tyson was snoring. he sighed. "Good night, big guy."

And he closed his eyes, too.

The morning of the race was hot and humid. Fog lay low on the ground like sauna steam. Millions of birds were roosting in the trees—fat gray-and-white pigeons, except they didn't coo like regular pigeons. They made this annoying metallic screeching sound that made Gohan's ears throb.

The racetrack had been built in a grassy field between the archery range and the woods. Hephaestus's cabin had used the bronze bulls, which were completely tame since they'd been rebuilt, to plow an oval track in a matter of minutes.

There were rows of stone steps for the spectators— Tantalus, the satyrs, a few dryads, and all of the campers who weren't participating. Mr. D didn't show. He never got up before ten o'clock.

"Right!" Tantalus announced as the teams began to assemble. A naiad had brought him a big platter of pastries, and as Tantalus spoke, his right hand chased a chocolate eclair across the judge's table. "You all know the rules. A quarter-mile track. Twice around to win. Two horses per chariot. Each team will consist of a driver and a fighter. Weapons are allowed. Dirty tricks are expected. But try not to kill anybody!" Tantalus smiled at them like they were all naughty children. "Any killing will result in harsh punishment. No s'mores at the campfire for a week! Now ready your chariots!"

"So… who do you think the most dangerous here is?" Gohan asked. Percy analyzed the others chariots curiously.

Beckendorf led the Hephaestus team onto the track. They had a sweet ride made of bronze and iron—even the horses, which were magical automatons like the Colchis bulls. Percy had no doubt that their chariot had all kinds of mechanical traps and more fancy options than a fully loaded Maserati.

The Ares chariot was bloodred, and pulled by two grisly horse skeletons. Clarisse climbed aboard with a batch of javelins, spiked balls, caltrops, and a bunch of other nasty toys.

Apollo's chariot was trim and graceful and completely gold, pulled by two beautiful palominos. Their fighter was armed with a bow, though he had promised not to shoot regular pointed arrows at the opposing drivers.

Hermes's chariot was green and kind of old-looking, as if it hadn't been out of the garage in years. It didn't look like anything special, but it was manned by the Stoll brothers, and Percy shuddered to think what dirty tricks they'd schemed up.

That left two chariots: one driven by Annabeth, and the other by Percy.

"I'd be wary of Ares. But Annabeth's probably gonna be the most dangerous. But still, watch all of them. Any tricks you can pull out? Non-lethal, obviously." Gohan grinned.

"Oh yeah." Gohan bounced a ki ball between his hands. Then, he spotted annabeth.

"Star here." Percy tried to approach Annabeth and told her about his dream from the previous night.

She perked up when he mentioned Grover, but when he told her what he'd said, she seemed to get distant again, suspicious.

"You're trying to distract me," she decided. "What? No I'm not!"

"Oh, right! Like Grover would just happen to stumble across the one thing that could save the camp."

"What do you mean?"

She rolled her eyes. "Go back to your chariot, Percy." "I'm not making this up. He's in trouble, Annabeth."

She hesitated. He could tell she was trying to decide whether or not to trust him. Despite their occasional fights, they'd been through a lot together. And he knew she would never want anything bad to happen to Grover.

"Any reason you didn't tell Gohan? Since you two are so buddy buddy?" Percy pressed his lips together.

"Percy, an empathy link is so hard to do. I mean, it's more likely you really were dreaming." "The Oracle," Percy said. "We could consult the Oracle."Annabeth frowned.

Before she could answer, the conch horn sounded. "Charioteers!" Tantalus called. "To your mark!"

"We'll talk later," Annabeth told him, "after I win."

"Booooo! Athena sucks!" Gohan yelled out from his chariot, causing her to glare daggers at him. Percy groaned as he covered his face.

As Percy was walking back to his own chariot, he noticed how many more pigeons were in the trees now—screeching like crazy, making the whole forest rustle. Nobody else seemed to be paying them much attention, but they made him nervous. Their beaks glinted strangely. Their eyes seemed shinier than regular birds. Percy was distracted, though, by the yelling that erupted from his chariot.

"Tyson, come on! Get them under control!" Gohan yelled as he pulled on the reins. They didn't seem to want to listen, though.

Percy had to talk to them a long time before they would settle down.

"He's a monster, lord! they complained to him.

He's a son of Poseidon, he told them. Just like ... well, just like me. No! they insisted. Monster! Horse-eater! Not trusted!

I'll give you sugar cubes at the end of the race, Percy said.

Sugar cubes?

Very big sugar cubes. And apples. Did I mention the apples? Finally they agreed to let Percy harness them.

"So, ever driven one of these before?" Gohan asked as Percy climbed on.

"No, you? You even have chariots in your world?" Gohan laughed.

"Nah. We do have spaceships." Percy boggled at him.

"Really?" Gohan grinned.

"After we win, I'm gonna tell you about my adventures on Planet Namek."

Now, if you've never seen a Greek chariot, it's built for speed, not safety or comfort. It's basically a wooden basket, open at the back, mounted on an axle between two wheels. The driver stands up the whole time, and you can feel every bump in the road. The carriage is made of such light wood that if you wipe out making the hairpin turns at either end of the track, you'll probably tip over and crush both the chariot and yourself. It's an even better rush than skate-boarding.

Percy took the reins and maneuvered the chariot to the starting line. He gave Gohan a ten-foot pole and told him that his job was to push the other chariots away if they got too close, and to deflect anything they might try to throw at them. Gohan smirked as he propped the pole on the side.

"Plus, anything you can do with your energy stuff would be nice. Again, nothing serious. We're going to run a clean race. Just keep the distractions away and let me concentrate on driving."

"They should just stick the wreaths in our hands.'" Gohan laughed.

As the chariots lined up, more shiny-eyed pigeons gath-ered in the woods. They were screeching so loudly the campers in the stands were starting to take notice, glancing nervously at the trees, which shivered under the weight of the birds. Tantalus didn't look concerned, but he did have to speak up to be heard over the noise.

"Charioteers!" he shouted. "Attend your mark!"

He waved his hand and the starting signal dropped. The chariots roared to life. Hooves thundered against the dirt. The crowd cheered. Gohan grinned as his hand glowed. In one swift motion, he fired a bright yellow ki ball right in front of the Hermes chariot, exploding in a flash of light and dirt. The horses panicked, sending the Hermes charriot barreling into the Apollo chariot, causing it to flip over. The riders were thrown free, but their panicked horses dragged the golden chariot diagonally across the track. The Hermes team, Travis and Connor Stoll, laughed as they composed themselved. But, their luck quickly faded when the Apollo horses crashed into theirs, and the Hermes chariot flipped too, leaving a pile of broken wood and four rearing horses in the dust. Two chariots down in the first twenty feet.

"Gods, Gohan! I said non-lethal!" Percy yelled

"I didn't think that would happen!" Gohan yelled back.

Percy turned my attention back to the front. They were making good time, pulling ahead of Ares, but Annabeth's chariot was way ahead of them. She was already making her turn around the first post, her javelin man grinning and waving at us, shouting: "See ya!"

"Seriously? Faster! I am not being mocked!" Gohan yelled. Percy was taken back by how competitive Gohan was all of a sudden.

The Hephaestus chariot was starting to gain on them, too.

Beckendorf pressed a button, and a panel slid open on the side of his chariot.

"Sorry, Percy!" he yelled. Three sets of balls and chains shot straight toward their wheels.

"Heads up!" Gohan yelled as he trust his fists out. A massive blue shield erupted from his hands, covering the chariot in a blue ball. The chains bounced back towards the Hephaestus chariot, which barely managed to dodge. Gohan then gave the Hephaestus chariot a good shove with the pole as the shield dissolved, and sent them skittering sideways while Gohan and Percy pulled ahead. Tyson seemed to be yelling something, but neither of the boys could hear him.

"Nice work, Gohan!" Percy yelled. "It's not over until Annabeth's in the dust!"

They made their first turn, the wheels creaking under them, the chariot threatening to tip, but they were now only ten feet behind Annabeth.

"She's mine!" Gohan grinned as his fists glowed. He then hurled two ki blasts high in the air, and then sent them shooting downwards like meteors. The first landed three feet in front of Annabeth's chariot, and the second landed right next to it, showering her in dirt.

"Gods!" her fighter yelled.

"That would be Gohan. We gotta take him out." Annabeth growned as she clenched her fists on the reins.

"Seriously?{

Annabeth's fighter wasn't smiling now. He pulled a javelin from his collection and took aim at Gohan, who smirked as his fists sparked, ready to counter. He was about to throw when they heard the screaming.

The pigeons were swarming—thousands of them dive-bombing the spectators in the stands, attacking the other chariots. Beckendorf was mobbed. His fighter tried to bat the birds away but he couldn't see anything. The chariot veered off course and plowed through the strawberry fields, the mechanical horses steaming.

In the Ares chariot, Clarisse barked an order to her fighter, who quickly threw a screen of camouflage netting over their basket. The birds swarmed around it, pecking and clawing at the fighter's hands as he tried to hold up the net, but Clarisse just gritted her teeth and kept driving. Her skeletal horses seemed immune to the distraction. The pigeons pecked uselessly at their empty eye sockets and flew through their rib cages, but the stallions kept right on run-ning.

The spectators weren't so lucky. The birds were slashing at any bit of exposed flesh, driving everyone into a panic. Now that the birds were closer, it was clear they weren't normal pigeons. Their eyes were beady and evil-looking. Their beaks were made of bronze, and judging from the yelps of the campers, they must've been razor sharp.

"Stymphalian birds!" Annabeth yelled. She slowed down and pulled her chariot alongside theirs. "They'll strip everyone to bones if we don't drive them away!"

"Gohan," Percy said, "we're turning around! Take those things out! Do your thing."

"Got it." Gohan grinned as his body sparked. He then shotout of the chariot, straight towards the pigeons.

Annabeth rode right next to Percy. She shouted, "Heroes, to arms!" But he wasn't sure anyone could hear her over the screeching of the birds and the general chaos.

Gohan grunted as he trust his hands together. Dozens of ki blasts shot out of his hands, annihilating every bird he could hit. They would instantly dissolve into dust.

Percy held his reins in one hand and managed to draw Riptide as a wave of birds dived at his face, their metal beaks snapping. He slashed them out of the air and they exploded into dust and feathers, but there were still millions of them left. One nailed him in the back end and he almost jumped straight out of the chariot. Annabeth wasn't having much better luck. The closer they got to the stands, the thicker the cloud of birds became. Gohan had it way worse, though. He was being bombareded by thousands, ripping at every inche of him. No matter how many he destroyed, more kept coming. He couldn't even do a massive blast, without hitting the other campers.

Some of the spectators were trying to fight back. The Athena campers were calling for shields. The archers from Apollo's cabin brought out their bows and arrows, ready to slay the menace, but with so many campers mixed in with the birds, it wasn't safe to shoot.

"Too many!" Percy yelled to Annabeth. "How do you get rid of them?"

She stabbed at a pigeon with her knife. "Hercules used noise! Brass bells! He scared them away with the most hor-rible sound he could—"

Her eyes got wide. "Percy ... Chiron's collection!" Percy understood instantly. "You think it'll work?"

She handed her fighter the reins and leaped from her chariot into his like it was the easiest thing in the world. "To the Big House! It's our only chance!"

Clarisse has just pulled across the finish line, completely unopposed, and seemed to notice for the first time how serious the bird problem was. Gohan roared in pain as he flew back, still blasting. Then the birds let out a massive screech as they mobbed him, causing him to vanish in a cloud. Gohan roared in pain as he crashed to the ground, and his body began to glow.

"Get… off MEEEEEE!" Gohan screamed as his body exploded in power, blasting the entire surrounding ares in a massive gold light. The sky seem to darked above them and rumble, and the ground shook and cracked. The air was completely quiet as the smoke faded, revealing Gohan. The improved version. His fist was buried in the ground, and his body shook as blood dripped down from the cuts left by the birds. His body was gleaming gold, and his hair was straight up like spikes. Gohan's body glowed as blue sparks danced over him.

"Gods…" Annabeth's voice faded. Percy nodded. He had seen Gohan like this only once before. Against Ares. This was Gohan's ultimate form. Super Saiyan 2.

"We… we gotta get the collection. Gohan can take them all out at once if he can get a clean shot." Percy nodded

When she saw them driving away, Clarisse, who had momentarily taken aback by Gohan's transformation, yelled, "You're running? The fight is here, cowards!" She drew her sword and charged for the stands. Gohan glared upwards at the birds. Then, he thrust his hands into the air and yelled. The brids were slammed by a massive shock wave, sending them flying high into the air. A bright yellow blast shot from his hands, vaporizing a quarter of the birds. The others screeched as they raced towards him. They slammed into him, but instantly vaporized on contact.

Percy urged his horses into a gallop. The chariot rumbled through the strawberry fields, across the volleyball pit, and lurched to a halt in front of the Big House. Annabeth and Percy ran inside, tearing down the hallway to Chiron's apartment.

His boom box was still on his nightstand. So were his favorite CDs. Percy grabbed the most repulsive one he could find, Annabeth snatched the boom box, and together they ran back outside.

Down at the track, the chariots were in flames. Wounded campers ran in every direction, with birds shred-ding their clothes and pulling out their hair, while Tantalus chased breakfast pastries around the stands, every once in a while yelling, "Everything's under control! Not to worry.'" Gohan was on fire; literally. Hundreds of ki blasts shot of his outstretched hand, vaporizing hudreds of birds.

Percy and Annabeth pulled up to the finish line. Annabeth got the boom box ready. Percy prayed the batteries weren't dead.

He pressed PLAY and started up Chiron's favorite—the All-Time Greatest Hits of Dean Martin. Suddenly the air was filled with violins and a bunch of guys moaning in Italian. Gohan roared with rage as he covered his ears.

The demon pigeons went nuts. They started flying in circles, running into each other like they wanted to bash their own brains out. Then they abandoned the track altogether and flew skyward in a huge dark wave.

"Now!" shouted Annabeth. "Gohan, do your thing!" Gohan's head shot upwards, as sparks danced around him. He cupped his hands together, a blue light beginning to form between them.

"Ka… me… ha… me… HAAAAAA!" A massive blue blast shot from his hands, blinding the other campers as the blast shot into the air. The birds tried to flee, but they were all enveloped in the massive blast. When the light faded, all that was left of the birds was dust.

The camp was saved, but the wreckage wasn't pretty. Most of the chariots had been completely destroyed. Almost everyone was wounded, bleeding from multiple bird pecks. The kids from Aphrodite's cabin were screaming because their hairdos had been ruined and their clothes pooped on. But, Percy was far more focused on Gohan, who was still in his Ascended form.

"Gohan?" Percy said very carefully as he stepped towards him. Gohan turned towards him, and Percy shuddred at the look in Gohan's eye. It was cold. Unemotional. Cvompletely different from the friend Percy knew. Annabeth took a deep breath.

"Bravo!" Tantalus said, but he wasn't looking at Percy, Annabeth or Gohan. "We have our first winner!" " He walked to the finish line and awarded the golden laurels for the race to a stunned-looking Clarisse. Gohan turned towards Tantalus with a snarl on his face.

"Tantalus, I don't think you should have done that!" Percy warned. Tantalus smiled.

"And why is that?" Gohan held his hand in front of him and pointed it straight at Tantalus. A blue light appeared in his hand, and began to glow brighter and brighter.

"Am I supposed to be scared of this, boy? You wouldn't dare!" Tantalus laughed. Clarisse looked alarmed. The ball in Gohan's hand grew larger. Annabeth took the initiative, however. She grabbed Gohan's face and pushed him towards her.

"Gohan! Look at me! LOOK AT ME! Calm down!" His cold green eyes met hers. But, his face didn't change in emotion as the light grew larger.

"Don't let the power take control of you! You control IT!" For one long antagonizing moment, the two glared at each other. Then, Gohan's arm dropped to the side. The blue light popped and faded into sparkles. Then, the golden light vanished. Gohan gasped as he fell to his knees, sweating profusely.

"It's okay, it's okay…" Annabeth soothed as Gohan let out several more loud gasps. Tantalus, with a look of relief on his face, turned and smiled at Percy. "And now to punish the troublemakers who disrupted this race.


	9. Lava Washing and Campfire Brawls

The way Tantalus saw it, the Stymphalian birds had simply been minding their own business in the woods and would not have attacked if Annabeth, Percy, and Gohan hadn't disturbed them with their bad chariot driving. Not to mention, the whole Gohan going beserk and about to vaporize him thing. He should apparantly count himself lucky not to get thrown out.

This was so completely unfair, Percy told Tantalus to go chase a doughnut, which didn't help his mood. He sentenced them to kitchen patrol—scrubbing pots and platters all afternoon in the underground kitchen with the cleaning harpies. Even though Gohan was a mess with his various cuts and obvious exhaustion.

The harpies washed with lava instead of water, to get that extra-clean sparkle and kill ninety-nine point nine percent of all germs, so the three of them had to wear asbestos gloves and aprons. Gohan looked like he was going to pass out, and Percy had to slap him twice to keep him from falling into the lava. Thankfully, Annabeth had a little ambrosia on hand, which helped perk Gohan up a bit.

Tyson didn't mind. He plunged his bare hands right in and started scrubbing, but Annabeth and I had to suffer through hours of hot, dangerous work, especially since there were tons of extra plates. Tantalus had ordered a special luncheon banquet to celebrate Clarisse's chariot victory—a full-course meal featuring country-fried Stymphalian death-bird, the ones that Gohan hadn't vaporized.

The only good thing about their punishment was that it gave the three of them a common enemy and lots of time to talk. After listening to Percy's dream about Grover again, she looked like she might be starting to believe him.

"If he's really found it," she murmured, "and if we could retrieve it—"

"Hold on," Percy said. "You act like this ... whatever-it-is Grover found is the only thing in the world that could save the camp. What is it?"

"I'll give you a hint. What do you get when you skin a ram?"

"Messy?" Gohan suggested.

She sighed. "A fleece. The coat of a ram is called a fleece. And if that ram happens to have golden wool—"

"The Golden Fleece. Are you serious?" Gohan looked at Annabeth in surprise as his mind started racing. Suddenly, he recalled one of the vision he had seen in the House of Life: a golden blanket draped in a tree. Could it be…

"Does it look like a golden blanket? Draped in a tree?" Annabeth stared at Gohan in disbelief.

"How… how do you know that?" she asked. Gohan pressed his lips together. He answered… honestly, though he excluded Carter and Sadie.

"When I was traveling last year, I stumbled upon a cave in Egypt. I had… visions. One of them was this island. Everything seemed to glow, and there were sheep everywhere. There was this big blanket on a tree, and it just seemed to be radiating power. And there was someone yelling Sheepies." Annabeth gaped.

"It has to be. A vision that accurate…" Percy finally interrupted.

"Can you please tell me what the heck you're talking about?"

"I wouldn't mind a bit more clarity. You're acting like the same way Chiron was when I told him."

Annabeth scrapped a plateful of death-bird bones into the lava. "Remember the Gray Sisters? They said they knew the location of the thing you seek. And they mentioned Jason. Three thousand years ago, they told him how to find the Golden Fleece. You do know the story of Jason and the Argonauts?"

"Yeah," Percy said. "That old movie with the clay skeletons." Annabeth rolled her eyes. "Oh my gods, Percy! You are so hopeless. What is it with boys watching horrible and inaccurate movies?"

"What?" Percy demanded.

"That's just mean." Gohan added.

"Just listen, you two. The real story of the Fleece: there were these two children of Zeus, Cadmus and Europa, okay? They were about to get offered up as human sacrifices, when they prayed to Zeus to save them. So Zeus sent this magical flying ram with golden wool, which picked them up in Greece and carried them all the way to Colchis in Asia Minor. Well, actually it carried Cadmus. Europa fell off and died along the way, but that's not important."

"It was probably important to her." Percy pointed out

"The point is, when Cadmus got to Colchis, he sacrificed the golden ram to the gods and hung the Fleece in a tree in the middle of the kingdom. The Fleece brought prosperity to the land. Animals stopped getting sick. Plants grew better. Farmers had bumper crops. Plagues never visited. That's why Jason wanted the Fleece. It can revitalize any land where it's placed. It cures sickness, strengthens nature, cleans up pollution—"

"It could cure Thalia's tree."

Annabeth nodded. "And it would totally strengthen the borders of Camp Half-Blood. But, the Fleece has been missing for centuries. Tons of heroes have searched for it with no luck. But Gohan, you said you saw the Fleece?"

"I saw an island. Well, it looked like an island. It was so alive, everything. The trees, the grass, the air. And there were sheep everywhere." Annabeth nodded.

"That sounds like an accurate description of the Fleece's power."

"See! And Grover found it," Percy said. "He went looking for Pan and he found the Fleece instead because they both radiate nature magic. It makes sense, Annabeth. We can rescue him and save the camp at the same time. It's perfect!"

Annabeth hesitated. "A little too perfect, don't you think? First Gohan's vision, which seems to paint a perfect picture of where the Fleece is, now this? What if it's a trap?"

Percy remembered last summer, how Kronos had manipulated their quest. He'd almost fooled the fours of them into helping him start a war that would've destroyed Western Civilization.

"What choice do we have?" Percy asked. "Are you going to help me rescue Grover or not?"

"I'm in." Gohan declared. The two boys high-fived.

She glanced at Tyson, who'd lost interest in their conversation and was happily making toy boats out of cups and spoons in the lava.

"Look," she said under her breath, "Based on what Gohan's description of the island, if it's accurate, we'll have to fight a Cyclops. Polyphemus, the worst of the Cyclopes. And there's only one place his island could be. The Sea of Monsters."

"Where's that?" Gohan asked

She stared at him like she thought he was playing dumb. "The Sea of Monsters. The same sea Odysseus sailed through, and Jason, and Aeneas, and all the others." Gohan sighed in frustration.

"Again, parallel Earth? We don't have those stories where I'm from!" Annabeth shook her head in frustration.

"You mean the Mediterranean?" Percy asked "No. Well, yes ... but no." "Another straight answer. Thanks."

"Look, the Sea of Monsters is the sea all heroes sail through on their adventures. It used to be in the Mediterranean, yes. But like everything else, it shifts locations as the West's center of power shifts."

"Like Mount Olympus being above the Empire State Building," Percy said. "And Hades being under Los Angeles."

"Right."

"Gods, that guy was a dick. Not at all like the one I saw on TV with the blue fire for hair." Annabeth looked livid.

"Stop that! Everytime you mention that atrocity, I'm going to slap you!"

"But a whole sea full of monsters—how could you hide something like that? Wouldn't the mortals notice weird things happening ... like, ships getting eaten and stuff?"

"Of course they notice. They don't understand, but they know something is strange about that part of the ocean. The Sea of Monsters is off the east coast of the U.S. now, just northeast of Florida. The mortals even have a name for it."

"The Bermuda Triangle?" "Exactly."

"Okay ... so at least we know where to look."

"It's still a huge area, Percy. Searching for one tiny island in monster-infested waters—"

"I can fly around the world in fifteen minutes. I don't think it'll take me that long to scan a little patch of sea." Annabeth snorted in annoyance.

"This isn't a joke, Gohan! The Sea of Monsters is a really dangerous place, even for someone like you! There are things in there that can mess with your mind. Drive you insane!" Gohan frowned.

"Geez Annabeth, stop trying to sell me on it. Now I really want to go!" Annabeth groaned as she facepalmed into her hand.

"Besides, I've travled through space and explored other planets. I'm not really afraid of a patch of sea." Annabeth looked exasperated.

"Hey, I'm the son of the sea god. This is my home turf. How hard can it be?" Percy added.

Annabeth knit her eyebrows. "We'll have to talk to Tantalus, get approval for a quest. He'll say no."

"Not if we tell him tonight at the campfire in front of everybody. The whole camp will hear. They'll pressure him. He won't be able to refuse." Gohan was the one to point out the flaw in this plan, however:

"That doesn't mean he'll send us. He hates us for some reason. He'll probably pick Clarisse."

"Please, he'll forced to pick us! Your vision, my coordinates?"

"Maybe." A little bit of hope crept into Annabeth's voice. "We'd better get these dishes done. Hand me the lava spray gun, will you?" Gohan shuddered.

"The last time I saw lava, it was on a planet that was literally about to explode. Not pleseant."

That night at the campfire, Apollo's cabin led the sing-along. They tried to get everybody's spirits up, but it wasn't easy after that afternoon's bird attack. They all sat around a semicircle of stone steps, singing halfheartedly and watching the bonfire blaze while the Apollo guys strummed their guitars and picked their lyres. Many of the other campers kept a cautious berth from Gohan, still recovering from their glimpse of him in his ultimate form. Gohan didn't mind, through. He liked the free leg room.

They did all the standard camp numbers: "Down by the Aegean," "I Am My Own Great-Great- Great-Great-Grandpa," "This Land is Minos's Land." Gohan had a little difficulty, since, again, he had never heard songs like this back home.

The bonfire was enchanted, so the louder you sang, the higher it rose, changing color and heat with the mood of the crowd. On a good night, it could go twenty feet high, bright purple, and so hot the whole front row's marshmallows burst into flames. Tonight, the fire was only five feet high, barely warm, and the flames were the color of lint.

Dionysus left early. After suffering through a few songs, he muttered something about how even pinochle with Chiron had been more exciting than this. Then he gave Tantalus a distasteful look and headed back toward the Big House.

When the last song was over, Tantalus said, "Well, that was lovely!"

He came forward with a toasted marshmallow on a stick and tried to pluck it off, real casual- like. But before he could touch it, the marshmallow flew off the stick. Tantalus made a wild grab, but the marshmallow committed suicide, diving into the flames. Gohan laughed.

Tantalus turned back toward them, smiling coldly. "Now then! Some announcements about tomorrow's schedule."

"Sir," Percy said. Tantalus's eye twitched. "Seems one of our kitchen boys has something to say?"

Some of the Ares campers snickered, but Percy wasn't going to let anybody embarrass me into silence. Gohan stood and glared at them.

"Got something to say?" that shut them up pretty quicky. Percy stood and looked at Annabeth. Thank the gods, she stood up with him.

Percy said, "We have an idea to save the camp."

Dead silence, but it was obvious he had gotten everybody's interest, because the campfire flared bright yellow.

"Indeed," Tantalus said blandly. "Well, if it has anything to do with chariots—"

"The Golden Fleece," Gohan said. "We know where it is."

The flames burned orange. Before Tantalus could stop him, Percy blurted out his dream about Grover, followed by Gohan's description of his vision depicting Polyphemus's island and the Golden Fleece. Annabeth stepped in and reminded everybody what the Fleece could do. It sounded more convincing coming from her.

"The Fleece can save the camp," she concluded. "I'm certain of it."

"Nonsense," said Tantalus. "We don't need saving."

Everybody stared at him until Tantalus started looking uncomfortable.

"Besides," he added quickly, "the Sea of Monsters? That's hardly an exact location. You wouldn't even know where to look. Unless Monkey-boy's vision came with a GPS system!" that got a burst of laughter from the Ares campers.

"Yes, I would," Percy said. Annabeth leaned toward Percy and whispered, "You would?"

Percy nodded, because Annabeth had jogged something in his memory when she reminded me about their taxi drive with the Gray Sisters. At the time, the information they'd given made no sense. But now ...

"30, 31, 75, 12," Percy said. "Ooo-kay," Tantalus said. "Thank you for sharing those meaningless numbers."

"They're sailing coordinates," Percy said. "Latitude and longitude. I, uh, learned about it in social studies."

Even Annabeth looked impressed. "30 degrees, 31 minutes north, 75 degrees, 12 minutes west. He's right! The Gray Sisters gave us those coordinates. That'd be somewhere in the Atlantic, off the coast of Florida. The Sea of Monsters. We need a quest!"

"Wait just a minute," Tantalus said.

But the campers took up the chant. "We need a quest! We need a quest!"

The flames rose higher.

"It isn't necessary!" Tantalus insisted.

"WE NEED A QUEST! WE NEED A QUEST!"

"Fine!" Tantalus shouted, his eyes blazing with anger. "You brats want me to assign a quest?"

"YES!"

"Very well," he agreed. "I shall authorize a champion to undertake this perilous journey, to retrieve the Golden Fleece and bring it back to camp. Or die trying." Gohan had a cautious look on his face, while Percy's heart filled with excitement. He wasn't going to let Tantalus scare him. This was what he needed to do.

"I will allow our champion to consult the Oracle!" Tantalus announced. "And choose two companions for the journey. And I think the choice of champion is obvious."

Tantalus looked at Gohan, Annabeth, and Percy as if he wanted to flay them alive. "The champion should be one who has earned the camp's respect, who has proven resourceful in the chariot races and courageous in the defense of the camp. Not naughty children who ruin races with horrible driving, or so reckless that they lose control of themselves and try to vaporize such a champion. You shall lead this quest ... Clarisse!"

The fire flickered a thousand different colors. The Ares cabin started stomping and cheering, "CLARISSE! CLARISSE!"

"Called it!" Gohan grumbled.

Clarisse stood up, looking stunned. Then she swallowed, and her chest swelled with pride. "I accept the quest!"

"Wait!" Percy shouted. "Grover is my friend. The dream came to me."

"Sit down!" yelled one of the Ares campers. "You had your chance last summer!"

"Yeah, he just wants to be in the spotlight again!" another said. Percy snarled.

Clarisse glared at Percy. "I accept the quest!" she repeated. "I, Clarisse, daughter of Ares, will save the camp!"

"Then take Gohan! It's his vision." The Ares campers roared with rage.

"You seriously think I would take him, after all the humiliations he's done to Ares?"

"You and your dad started it." Gohan muttered.

"What was that?" Clarisse snapped.

"I said you and your dad started it! God of War? More like god of brash douchebags!" the Ares campers roared with rage.

Annabeth protested, and the other Athena campers joined in. Everybody else started taking sides—shouting and arguing and throwing marshmallows.

"Come on! I beat your dad in five minutes! God of War? More like God of Pansies? Aphrodite's tougher than him!" he roared. One Ares camper let out a massive war cry of rage and leaped at him. Gohan shut him down with a swift headbutt, causing him to crash to the ground unconscious. For one long second, there was silence. Then… all hell broke loose. The other Ares campers roared as they leaped from their seats, but the other campers leaped to his defense. Apollo and Athena campers leaped in, until it was a full on fist fight. Percy ducked from one Ares camper's swing and punched him in the face.

Finally, Tantalus shouted, "Silence, you brats!" Somehow, the whole fight immediately stopped, with some campers even stopping mid-swing. Several of them, many of them Ares campers, were sporting marks that would likely form into bruises later. The Aphrodite campers were screaming about broken nails and messed up hair.

His tone stunned even Gohan, which was not an easy feat given his experience with beings like Piccolo and Vegeta. "Sit down!" he ordered. "And I will tell you a ghost story."

Gohan and Percy didn't know what he was up to, but they all moved reluctantly back to their seats. The evil aura radiating from Tantalus was as strong as any monster Gohan had ever faced. It even reminded him of the foes he had fought back home.

"Once upon a time there was a mortal king who was beloved of the Gods!" Tantalus put his hand on his chest, and Gohan got the feeling he was talking about himself.

"This king," he said, "was even allowed to feast on Mount Olympus. But when he tried to take some ambrosia and nectar back to earth to figure out the recipe—just one little doggie bag, mind you—the gods punished him. They banned him from their halls forever! His own people mocked him! His children scolded him! And, oh yes, campers, he had horrible children. Children—just—like— you."

He pointed a crooked finger at several people in the audience, including both Percy and Gohan.

"Do you know what he did to his ungrateful children?" Tantalus asked softly. "Do you know how he paid back the gods for their cruel punishment? He invited the Olympians to a feast at his palace, just to show there were no hard feelings. No one noticed that his children were missing. And when he served the gods dinner, my dear campers, can you guess what was in the stew?"

No one dared answer. The firelight glowed dark blue, reflecting evilly on Tantalus's crooked face.

"Oh, the gods punished him in the afterlife," Tantalus croaked. "They did indeed. But he'd had his moment of satisfaction, hadn't he? His children never again spoke back to him or questioned his authority. And do you know what? Rumor has it that the king's spirit now dwells at this very camp, waiting for a chance to take revenge on ungrateful, rebellious children. And so ... are there any more complaints, before we send Clarisse off on her quest?"

Silence. Tantalus nodded at Clarisse. "The Oracle, my dear. Go on."

She shifted uncomfortably, like even she didn't want glory at the price of being Tantalus's pet. "Sir—"

"Go!" he snarled. She bowed awkwardly and hurried off toward the Big House. "What about you, Percy Jackson?" Tantalus asked. "No comments from our dishwasher? Or you, boy?" Neither of them said anything.

"Good," Tantalus said. "And let me remind everyone— no one leaves this camp without my permission. Anyone who tries ... well, if they survive the attempt, they will be expelled forever, but it won't come to that. The harpies will be enforcing curfew from now on, and they are always hungry! Good night, my dear campers. Sleep well."

With a wave of Tantalus's hand, the fire was extinguished, and the campers trailed off toward their cabins in the dark.


	10. Midnight Bonding and Godly Gifts

To say Percy was upset was an understatement. He couldn't explain things to Tyson. He knew Percy was sad. He knew that Percy wanted to go on a trip and Tantalus wouldn't let him.

"You will go anyway?" he asked. "I don't know," Percy admitted. "It would be hard. Very hard." "I will help." "No. I—uh, I couldn't ask you to do that, big guy. Too dangerous."

Tyson looked down at the pieces of metal he was assembling in his lap—springs and gears and tiny wires. Beckendorf had given him some tools and spare parts, and now Tyson spent every night tinkering, though Percy wasn't sure how his huge hands could handle such delicate little pieces.

"What are you building?" Percy asked.

Tyson didn't answer. Instead he made a whimpering sound in the back of his throat. "Annabeth doesn't like Cyclopes. You ... don't want me along?"

"Oh, that's not it," Percy said halfheartedly. "Annabeth likes you. Really." He had tears in the corners of his eye.

"And… Gohan? He's scary when he's gold." Percy nodded at that. Gohan was terrifying when he was like that. And, there were times when Percy though Gohan didn't even recognize him when he went like that.

Tyson folded up his tinkering project in an oilcloth. He lay down on his bunk bed and hugged his bundle like a teddy bear. When he turned toward the wall, Percy could see the weird scars on his back, like somebody had plowed over him with a tractor.

"Daddy always cared for m-me," he sniffled. "Now ... I think he was mean to have a Cyclops boy. I should not have been born."

"Don't talk that way! Poseidon claimed you, didn't he? So ... he must care about you ... a lot... Come on, Gohan. Got anything to say?" Percy asked, desperate to avert the conversation. However, he was met with silence.

"Gohan? Hello?" Percy sat up and looked at Gohan's bed… only to see that it was empty.

"Gods damn it. Where is he?" Tyson sniffed.

"He left ten minutes ago." Percy groaned as he covered his face. The last thing Percy needed was for Gohan to get eaten by a bunch of harpies.

Percy got out of bed and pulled on some clothes. He grabbed a beach blanket and a six-pack of Coke from under his bunk. The Cokes were against the rules. No outside snacks or drinks were allowed, but if you talked to the right guy in Hermes's cabin and paid him a few golden drachma, he could smuggle in almost anything from the nearest convenience store.

Gohan sighed as he floated in the air and gazed over the ocean. The sound of the surf rumbled in the distance. He could smell the warm scent of the strawberry fields, and hear the laughter of the dryads as they chased owls through the forest.

Sneaking out after curfew was against the rules, too. If he got caught he'd either get in big trouble or be eaten by the harpies. Gohan didn't mind, though. It reminded him of the nights he had spent with his father, looking up at the stars.

"I figured I'd find you here." Gohan turned his head to see Percy standing behind him, holding a blanket and a six-pack of Coke.

"I needed quiet. And to think." Gohan responded as he continued to float, crosslegged.

Percy spread his blanket near the surf and popped open a Coke. For some reason sugar and caffeine always calmed down his hyperactive brain. He handed one towards Gohan, who took it and gulped it with a grin.

"Gods, this stuff is delicious!" Percy chuckled.

"You really don't have this stuff on your world?"

"Nope! We've got cola, but it doesn't taste anything like this!" Percy sighed.

"I guess you were right. About Clarisse and the quest." Gohan shrugged, which looked really weird when he was floating.

Percy tried to decide what to do to save the camp, but nothing came to him. He wished Poseidon would talk to him, give him some advice or something. Then again, there was someone pretty experienced right next to him.

"Look, Gohan. You've been doing these adventures way longer than I have. What would you and your friends do?" Gohan frowned as he scratched his chin.

"Hmmm… it varies. Vegeta and Piccolo would have just blasted off without listening to anyone. Actually, Vegeta would have vaporized Tantalus first. Dad would have… well, he would have immediately raced off at the mere mention of an adventure. Me? I would have probably followed them all in a heartbeat. Believe me, I always followed them rather than study, no matter what it was."

"So…" Gohan sighed.

"I'd go anyway. I'm not very good at listening to authority."

"Well said!"

The two of them almost spewed soda.

Standing right next to them was a guy in nylon running shorts and a New York City Marathon T-shirt. He was slim and fit, with salt-and-pepper hair and a sly smile. He looked kind of familiar, but Percy couldn't figure out why.

Percy's first thought was that he must've been taking a mid-night jog down the beach and strayed inside the camp borders. That wasn't supposed to happen. Regular mortals couldn't enter the valley. But maybe with the tree's magic weakening he'd managed to slip in. But in the middle of the night? And there was nothing around except farmland and state preserves. Where would this guy have jogged from? Gohan had a different mindset. He was on his feet in an instant, both his fists crackling with yellow energy.

"You have five seconds to tell us who you are or I'll vaporize you." Gohan snarled. The man simply laughed.

"May I join you?" he asked. "I haven't sat down in ages."

Percy said, "Uh, sure." He smiled. "Your hospitality does you credit. Oh, and Coca-Cola! May I?" Gohan sputtered.

"Hey! Don't ignore me! I'm talking to you!" Gohan yelled as he flapped his hands.(Imagine one of those angry faces from anime, like Fairy Tail)

The man laughed as he sat at the other end of the blanket, popped a soda and took a drink. "Ah ... that hits the spot. Peace and quiet at—"

A cell phone went off in his pocket.

The jogger sighed. He pulled out his phone and both boys' eyes got big, because it glowed with a bluish light. When he extended the antenna, two creatures began writhing around it—green snakes, no bigger than earthworms. Gohan was so surprised that the light vanished from his hands.

The jogger didn't seem to notice. He checked his LCD display and cursed. "I've got to take this. Just a sec ..." Then into the phone: "Hello?"

He listened. The mini-snakes writhed up and down the antenna right next to his ear.

"Yeah," the jogger said. "Listen—I know, but... I don't care if he is chained to a rock with vultures pecking at his liver, if he doesn't have a tracking number, we can't locate his package... A gift to humankind, great... You know how many of those we deliver—Oh, never mind. Listen, just refer him to Eris in customer service. I gotta go."

"Stop ignoring me!" Gohan yelled.

He hung up. "Sorry. The overnight express business is just booming. Now, as I was saying—" "You have snakes on your phone." Percy stated.

"What? Oh, they don't bite. Say hello, George and Martha." Hello, George and Martha, a raspy male voice said inside Gohan's head. He visibly flinched, as did Percy.

"Don't be sarcastic", said a female voice. "Why not? "George demanded. I do all the real work.

"Oh, let's not go into that again!" The jogger slipped his phone back into his pocket. "Now, where were we ... Ah, yes. Peace and quiet."

He crossed his ankles and stared up at the stars. "Been a long time since I've gotten to relax. Ever since the telegraph—rush, rush, rush. Do either of you have a favorite constellation?"

"Uh, I like Hercules." Percy said

"Why?" "Well ... because he had rotten luck. Even worse than mine. It makes me feel better." The jogger chuckled. "Not because he was strong and famous and all that?" "No." the man chuckled.

"And you? Anything interesting you see in the stars? Tell me, do they look different on your world?" Gohan was a bit taken aback.

"Well… a bit. At least we can travel in space where I'm from." The man seemed amused by this.

"You're an interesting young man. It's been a very long time since I traveled between the dimensions. And so, what now?" Somehow, Gohan knew immediately what he was asking. What did the two of them intend to do about the Fleece?

Before he could answer, Martha the snake's muffled voice came from his pocket: I have Demeter on line two.

"Not now," the jogger said. "Tell her to leave a message."

"She's not going to like that. The last time you put her off, all the flowers in the floral delivery division wilted."

"Just tell her I'm in a meeting!" The jogger rolled his eyes. "Sorry again. You were saying ..."

"Um ... who are you, exactly?"

"Surely at least one of you has figured it out by now?"

"Show him! Martha pleaded. I haven't been full-size for months. Don't listen to her! George said. She just wants to show off!" The man took out his phone again. "Original form, please."

The phone glowed a brilliant blue. It stretched into a three-foot-long wooden staff with dove wings sprouting out the top. George and Martha, now full-sized green snakes, coiled together around the middle. It was a caduceus, the symbol of Cabin Eleven. Still, Gohan cocked his head in confusion. But, Percy's throat tightened. He realized who the jogger reminded him of with his elfish features, the mischievous twinkle in his eyes...

"Coooooolllll!" Gohan said with wide eyes as he poked the snakes.

"You smell like monkey." Martha said

"I had monkey once. Too sour." George added.

"Please don't poke the snakes." the man asked.

"You're Luke's father," Percy said. "Hermes."

"WHAT?!" Gohan looked alarmed now.

The god pursed his lips. He stuck his caduceus in the sand like an umbrella pole. "'Luke's father.' Normally, that's not the first way people introduce me. God of thieves, yes. God of messengers and travelers, if they wish to be kind."

"God of thieves works," George said.

"Oh, don't mind George." Martha flicked her tongue. "He's just bitter because Hermes likes me best."

"He does not! Does too!"

"Behave, you two," Hermes warned, "or I'll turn you back into a cell phone and set you on vibrate!" he looked over Gohan curiously.

"So, you are the Otherworlder who defeated Ares and Set. And recovered the Master Bolt. I must admit, I've been curious to meet you ever since I first heard of your exploits. Tell me, you can really transform?" Gohan nodded.

"Fascinating. It has been a very long time since I've encountered an Otherworlder. I can see you're quite powerful, though you keep the majority of your power hidden. I can see why this fragment of the Master Bolt chose you. To be chosen by the Master Bolt to wield it is a very rare thing indeed. A strong warrior with a pure heart." Hermes murmured as he ran his hands across Ascension's blade, which sparked in his hands. Gohan blinked in surprise, and then shot his head down to his wrist, where the band that Ascension was usually on was gone.

"WHAT THE? How did you?" Gohan's head shot up and down from Hermes to his wrist, his jaw agape. Percy laughed, while Hermes looked amused.

"God of Thieves, remember?" He tossed the blade back to Gohan, who caught it with a surprised expression.

"Now, you two still haven't answered my question. What do you intend to do about the quest?"

"W—We don't have permission to go."

"No, indeed. Will that stop either of you?" "I want to go. I have to save Grover."

"Same here." Gohan added.

Hermes smiled. "I knew a boy once ... oh, younger than you by far. A mere baby, really."

"Here we go again," George said. "Always talking about himself"

"Quiet!" Martha snapped. "Do you want to get set on vibrate?"

Hermes ignored them. "One night, when this boy's mother wasn't watching, he sneaked out of their cave and stole some cattle that belonged to Apollo."

"Did he get blasted to tiny pieces?" Gohan asked.

"Hmm ... no. Actually, everything turned out quite well. To make up for his theft, the boy gave Apollo an instrument he'd invented—a lyre. Apollo was so enchanted with the music that he forgot all about being angry."

"So what's the moral?"

"The moral?" Hermes asked. "Goodness, you act like it's a fable. It's a true story. Does truth have a moral?"

"Back home, most stories had morals." Gohan muttered.

"Um ..."

"How about this: stealing is not always bad?"

"I don't think my mom would like that moral." Percy pointed out.

Rats are delicious, suggested George.

"What does that have to do with the story?" Martha demanded.

Nothing, George said. But I'm hungry.

"I've got it," Hermes said. "Young people don't always do what they're told, but if they can pull it off and do something wonderful, sometimes they escape punishment. How's that?"

"You're saying we should go anyway," Percy said, "even without permission." Hermes's eyes twinkled. "Martha, may I have the first package, please?"

Martha opened her mouth ... and kept opening it until it was as wide as my arm. She belched out a stainless steel canister—an old-fashioned lunch box thermos with a black plastic top. The sides of the thermos were enameled with red and yellow Ancient Greek scenes—a hero killing a lion; a hero lifting up Cerberus, the three-headed dog.

"That's Hercules," Percy said. "But how—"

"Never question a gift," Hermes chided. "This is a collector's item from Hercules Busts Heads. The first season."

"Hercules Busts Heads?"

"Great show." Hermes sighed. "Back before Hephaestus-TV was all reality programming. Of course, the thermos would be worth much more if I had the whole lunch box—"

Or if it hadn't been in Martha's mouth, George added. I'll get you for that. Martha began chasing him around the caduceus. "Wait a minute," Gohan said. "This is a gift?" "One of two," Hermes said. "Go on, pick it up."

Gohan almost dropped it because it was freezing cold on one side and burning hot on the other.

"Hot! Hot! Cold! Cold!" Gohan yelped as he bounced the thermos between his hands.

The weird thing was, when he turned the thermos, the side facing the ocean— north—was always the cold side...

"It's a compass!" Percy said.

Hermes looked surprised. "Very clever. I never thought of that. But its intended use is a bit more dramatic. Uncap it, and you will release the winds from the four corners of the earth to speed you on your way. Not now! And please, when the time comes, only unscrew the lid a tiny bit. The winds are a bit like me—always restless. Should all four escape at once ... ah, but I'm sure you'll be careful. And now my second gift. George?"

She's touching me, George complained as he and Martha slithered around the pole.

"She's always touching you," Hermes said. "You're intertwined. And if you don't stop that, you'll get knotted again!

The snakes stopped wrestling. George unhinged his jaw and coughed up a little plastic bottle filled with chewable vitamins.

"Candy! Food!" Gohan yelled, but got whacked on the head by Percy.

"Those are vitamins, you idiot!"

"You're kidding," Percy said. "Are those Minotaur-shaped?"

Hermes picked up the bottle and rattled it. "The lemon ones, yes. The grape ones are Furies, I think. Or are they hydras? At any rate, these are potent. Don't take one unless you really, really need it."

"How will I know if we really, really need it?"

"You'll know, believe me. Nine essential vitamins, minerals, amino acids ... oh, everything you need to feel yourself again. Here, otherwise your friend would eat them all."

He tossed Percy the bottle. "Um, thanks," Percy said. "But Lord Hermes, why are you helping us?"

He gave them a melancholy smile. "Perhaps because I hope that you can save many people on this quest. Not just your friend Grover."

"You don't mean ... Luke?" Gohan suggested.

Hermes didn't answer.

"Look," Percy said. "Lord Hermes, I mean, thanks and everything, but you might as well take back your gifts. Luke can't be saved. Even if I could find him ... he told me he wanted to tear down Olympus stone by stone. He betrayed everybody he knew. He—he hates you especially."

"He's evil! He's a jerk and a bad guy! Where I'm from, there's only one thing we do with bad guys! We throw them into the sun!" Hermes actually looked intrigued.

"I… doubt that Apollo would let that happen. It'd take him forever to clean up the sun chariot. Besides, Not all problems can be solved with violence, little warrior."

Hermes gazed up at the stars. "My dear young cousin, if there's one thing I've learned over the eons, it's that you can't give up on your family, no matter how tempting they make it. It doesn't matter if they hate you, or embarrass you, or simply don't appreciate your genius for inventing the Internet—"

"You invented the Internet?"

"It was my idea," Martha said.

"Rats are delicious," George said.

"It was my idea!" Hermes said. "I mean the Internet, not the rats. But that's not the point. Percy, do you understand what I'm saying about family?"

"I—I'm not sure."

"You will some day." Hermes got up and brushed the sand off his legs. "In the meantime, I must be going."

"You have sixty calls to return," Martha said.

And one thousand-thirty-eight e-mails, George added. Not counting the offers for online discount ambrosia.

"And you, two," Hermes said, "have a shorter deadline than you realize to complete your quest. Your friends should be coming right about ... now."

Suddenly, they heard Annabeth's voice calling his and Gohan's names from the sand dunes. Tyson, too, was shouting from a little bit farther away.

"I hope I packed well for you," Hermes said. "I do have some experience with travel."

He snapped his fingers and four yellow duffel bags appeared at my feet. "Waterproof, of course. If you ask nicely, your father should be able to help you reach the ship. I assume the other one can fly."

"Ship?"

Hermes pointed. Sure enough, a big cruise ship was cutting across Long Island Sound, its white-and-gold lights glowing against the dark water.

"Wait," Percy said. "I don't understand any of this. I haven't even agreed to go!"

"I already did." Gohan added

"I'd make up your mind in the next five minutes, if I were you," Hermes advised. "That's when the harpies will come to eat you. Now, good night, and dare I say it? May the gods go with you."

He opened his hand and the caduceus flew into it. Good luck, Martha told them. Bring me back a rat, George said. The caduceus changed into a cell phone and Hermes slipped it into his pocket.

He jogged off down the beach. Twenty paces away, he shimmered and vanished, leaving the two boys alone with a thermos, a bottle of chewable vitamins, and five minutes to make an impossible decision.


	11. Nighttime Excursions and Free Cruises

Perct was staring at the waves when Annabeth and Tyson found them. Gohan just looked excited as he leaped from foot to foot.

"What's going on?" Annabeth asked. "I heard you calling for help! Gohan was hurt!"

"Me, too!" Tyson said. "Heard you yell, 'Bad things are attacking!'"

"I didn't call you guys," Percy said. "I'm fine." Gohan added as he patted himself down. She shrieked as she pounded him on the head.

"Don't scare me like that again!" Then, Annabeth noticed four three yellow duffel bags, then the thermos and the bottle of vitamins I was holding. "What—"

"Just listen," Percy said. "We don't have much time."

He then told them about he and Gohan's conversation with Hermes. By the time Percy was finished, they could hear screeching in the distance—patrol harpies picking up their scent.

"Guys," Annabeth said, "we have to do the quest." "We'll get expelled, you know. Trust me, I'm an expert at getting expelled."

"So? If we fail, there won't be any camp to come back to." Gohan pointed out.

"Yeah, but Annabeth promised Chiron—"

"I promised I'd keep you from danger. I can only do that by coming with you! Tyson can stay behind and tell them—"

"I want to go," Tyson said.

"No!" Annabeth's voice sounded close to panic. "I mean ... guys, come on. You know that's impossible. We don't need him!"

Percy wondered again why she had such a grudge against Cyclopes. Gohan noted this as well. He could hear the fear and anger in her voice. There was something she wasn't telling them.

She and Tyson both looked at Percy, waiting for an answer. Meanwhile, the cruise ship was getting farther and farther away.

"Percy, we need to get going. I say he comes with us." Gohan stated

The thing was, part of Percy didn't want Tyson along. He'd spent the last three days in close quarters with the guy, getting razzed by the other campers and embarrassed a million times a day, constantly reminded that he was related to him. Percy needed some space. Tyson would get them all killed.

On the other hand, the sound of the harpies was getting closer... "We can't leave him," Percy decided. "Tantalus will punish him for us being gone."

"Guys," Annabeth said, trying to keep her cool, "we're going to Polyphemus's island! Polyphemus is an S-i-k ... a C-y-k . .." She stamped her foot in frustration. As smart as she was, Annabeth was dyslexic, too. They could've been there all night while she tried to spell Cyclops.

"C-y-c-l-o-p-s." Gohan spelled. That was one of the many things that set him apart from Percy and Annabeth. Since Gohan wasn't a demigod, he was perfectly capable of reading without any trouble.

"You know what I mean!" Annabeth snarled with a red face. She found it irritating when someone else could do something better than her.

"Tyson can go," Percy insisted, "if he wants to." Tyson clapped his hands. "Want to!"

Annabeth gave them both the evil eye, but Gohan could tell that she wasn't going to change Percy's mind. Or maybe she just knew we didn't have time to argue.

"All right," she said. "How do we get to that ship?" Gohan perked up.

"I can help! I'll fly Annabeth over, and you and Tyson do your sea thing!" Annabeth froze.

"Wait, what?" Then, in one instant, Gohan wrapped his hands around Annabeth's waist and shot into the air in a flash of blue light, ignoring the shrill scream that erupted from Annabeth's mouth. The light shot straight towards the boat like a bullet. Gohan laughed as he zoomed through the air, more free than he had felt in a long time.

As they got closer to the cruise ship, Gohan realized just how huge it was. He felt as though he were looking up at a building in Manhattan. The white hull was at least ten stories tall, topped with another dozen levels of decks with brightly lit balconies and portholes. The ship's name was painted just above the bow line in black letters, lit with a spotlight. PRINCESS ANDROMEDA

Attached to the bow was a huge masthead—a three-story-tall woman wearing a white Greek chiton, sculpted to look as if she were chained to the front of the ship. She was young and beautiful, with flowing black hair, but her expression was one of absolute terror. Why anybody would want a screaming princess on the front of their vacation ship, Gohan had no idea. He flew over the top of the ship, trying to find a good spot to land.

"The stern! Land on the stern!" Annabeth screamed so that she could be heard.

"The what?" Gohan asked

"The back! The back! For the love of Zeus, the back!" Gohan nodded as he shot over to the rear of the ship and landed on the deck.

"Wow, this place is pretty cool." Gohan observed as he looked around. A loud retching sound made him turn to see Annabeth, with her head over the railing.

"Ummm… you okay?" Gohan asked. She let out a loud groan as she wiped her mouth. She whirled to glare at him.

"A little more warning next time? You just can't grab a girl and throw her into the air!" Gohan shuddered.

"Seemed like a fast solution. Plus, isn't flying fun?" Gohan grinned as he made the two-finger pose. Annabeth couldn't help but smile.

" _Gods, his charisma is contagious. I wonder if everyone like this where he's from. Plus… it was kinda cool to fly."_ She thought. In a second, she was back to boss mode.

"Come one, let's go help Percy and Tyson get on." She ordered as she began walking. Gohan followed her, a curious expression on his face as he looked over the edge.

"Cool!"

 **Meanwhile…**

Percy frowned as he stepped into the waves.

"Urn, Dad?" Percy called. "How's it going?"

"Hurry!" Tyson whined.

"We need your help," Percy called a little louder. "We need to get to that ship, like, before we get eaten and stuff, so ..."

At first, nothing happened. Waves crashed against the shore like normal. The harpies sounded like they were right behind the sand dunes. Then, about a hundred yards out to sea, two white lines appeared on the surface. They moved fast toward the shore, like claws ripping through the ocean. As they neared the beach, the surf burst apart and the heads of three white stallions reared out of the waves.

Tyson caught his breath. "Fish ponies!"

He was right. As the creatures pulled themselves onto the sand, Percy saw that they were only horses in the front; their back halves were silvery fish bodies, with glistening scales and rainbow tail fins.

"Come on!" Percy yelled.

"There!" a voice screeched behind them. "Bad children out of cabins! Snack time for lucky harpies!"

Five of them were fluttering over the top of the dunes—plump little hags with pinched faces and talons and feathery wings too small for their bodies. They reminded me of miniature cafeteria ladies who'd been crossbred with dodo birds. They weren't very fast, thank the gods, but they were vicious if they caught you.

"Tyson!" Percy said. "Grab the duffel bags!" He was still staring at the hippocampi with his mouth hanging open, "Tyson!" "Uh?" "Come on!"

They gathered the bags and mounted their steeds. Poseidon must've known Tyson was one of the passengers, because one hippocampus was much larger than the other—just right for carrying a Cyclops.

"Giddyup!" Percy said. His hippocampus turned and plunged into the waves. Tyson's followed right behind.

The harpies cursed at them, wailing for their snacks to come back, but the hippocampi raced over the water at the speed of Jet Skis. The harpies fell behind, and soon the shore of Camp Half-Blood was nothing but a dark smudge. Percy wondered if he'd ever see the place again. But right then he had other problems.

The cruise ship was now looming in front of them—their ride toward Florida and the Sea of Monsters.

Riding the hippocampus was even easier than riding a pegasus. They zipped along with the wind in their faces, speeding through the waves so smooth and steady he hardly needed to hold on at all.

"HEY! GUYS! OVER HERE!" they heard Gohan roar. Then, he heard a slap and subsequent yelp.

"Quiet, you idiot!" Annabeth's voice hissed. They followed the voice, skimming along the starboard side of the ship, riding easily through its huge wake, and pulled up to the side. Then, a rope dropped down in front of them.

Percy grunted as he slung his duffel bag over his shoulder, grabbed the rope and pulled himself up. His hippocampus whinnied a farewell and dove underwater.

Tyson's hippocampus was treating him to 360° aerials and backward ollies, and Tyson was laughing so hysterically, the sound echoed up the side of the ship.

"Tyson, shhh!" Percy said. "Come on, big guy!" "Can't we take Rainbow?" he asked, his smile fading. Percy stared at him. "Rainbow?" The hippocampus whinnied as if he liked his new name.

"Um, we have to go," Percy said. "Rainbow ... well, he can't climb ladders." Tyson sniffled. He buried his face in the hippocampus's mane. "I will miss you, Rainbow!" The hippocampus made a neighing sound Percy could've sworn was crying. "Maybe we'll see him again sometime," Percy suggested. "Oh, please!" Tyson said, perking up immediately. "Tomorrow!"

Percy didn't make any promises, but he finally convinced Tyson to say his farewells and grab hold of the role. With a final sad whinny, Rainbow the hippocampus did a back-flip and dove into the sea.

"Oh gods, he's heavy!"

"Quit whining!"

Gohan grunted as he pulled them up. Percy climbed over the railing first, followed by Tyson.

Percy figured we'd have to sneak around, being stowaways and all, but after checking a few corridors and peering over a balcony into a huge central promenade lined with closed shops, he began to realize there was nobody to hide from. They walked half the length of the boat and met no one. They passed forty or fifty cabin doors and heard no sound behind any of them. Gohan confirmed this, as his hearing was much better than Percy or Annabeth's.

"I hear breathing, but not much else otherwise. I can't sense anything either. Its like a black hole." Gohan frowned as he held his hands out.

"It's a ghost ship," Percy murmured.

"No," Tyson said, fiddling with the strap of his duffel bag. "Bad smell."

Annabeth frowned. "I don't smell anything."

"Cyclopes are like satyrs," Percy said. "They can smell monsters. Isn't that right, Tyson?"

He nodded nervously. Now that that were away from Camp Half-Blood, the Mist had distorted his face again. Unless they concentrated very hard, it seemed that he had two eyes instead of one.

"Okay," Annabeth said. "So what exactly do you smell?" "Something bad," Tyson answered. "Great," Annabeth grumbled. "That clears it up."

They came outside on the swimming pool level. There were rows of empty deck chairs and a bar closed off with a chain curtain. The water in the pool glowed eerily, sloshing back and forth from the motion of the ship.

"Ooooh! Cool!"

Above them fore and aft were more levels—a climbing wall, a putt-putt golf course, a revolving restaurant, but no sign of life.

"Foood…" Gohan grinned.

"Seriously? You sound like Grover right now." Annabeth muttered.

"We need a hiding place," Percy said. "Somewhere safe to sleep."

"Sleep," Annabeth agreed wearily.

"A nap would be nice." Gohan admitted.

They explored a few more corridors until they found an empty suite on the ninth level. The door was open, which struck Percy as weird. There was a basket of chocolate goodies on the table(which Gohan immediately devoured), an iced-down bottle of sparkling cider on the nightstand, and a mint on the pillow with a hand-written note that said: Enjoy your cruise!

"Mmmmmm!" Gohan grinned as he licked chocolate off his fingers.

"Seriously? Don't drink or eat anything!" "You think this place is enchanted?" She frowned. "I don't know. Something isn't right. Just ... be careful." Annabeth snapped.

They opened their duffel bags for the first time and found that Hermes really had thought of everything—extra clothes, toiletries, camp rations, a Ziploc bag full of cash, a leather pouch full of golden drachmas. He'd even managed to pack Tyson's oilcloth with his tools and metal bits, and Annabeth's cap of invisibility, which made them both feel a lot better.

"I guess me and Tyson will take this one." Percy stated.

"Okay, me and Annabeth will take the next one." Annabeth sputtered with a beet-red face.

"I'm sorry, what? I'm not sharing a room with you."

"Why not? You yourself just said that something's wrong with this ship, so we can't be alone. Plus, Percy and Tyson's in this one. So…unless you want to spend the night with Tyson…" Annabeth stared at Gohan with a look of complete horror on her face. He simply grinned.

"…Fine." She muttered. Gohan followed her into her room, which she then promptly locked the door.

"Let's get a few things straight. You will sleep on the couch, as we are NOT sharing a bed."

"Okay." Gohan answered with a puzzled expression.

"I am taking a shower first, then you." Gohan nodded.

"Okay. Ladies first, I suppose." he shrugged. Annabeth huffed as she grabbed a towel and walked into the restroom. Gohan then noticed the TV remote.

"Ooooh!" Half an hour later, the door flipped open and Annabeth stepped out of a wall of steam, dressed in a fluffy white robe, and her hair wrapped in the towel.

"Gods, I needed that." Gohan looked intrigued as he flipped through channel after channel.

"Wow, you guys have a lot of cool things on TV." Gohan said, causing Annabeth to look at him curiously.

"Don't tell me you don't have TV in your world?" Gohan laughed.

"Of course we do, Z-TV! Though, I didn't really watch much TV back home. We didn't have one in the house, so the only time I got to watch anything was when I visited Master Roshi. Though, the only thing he ever really watched was his exercise program. He must have really been into it, because he stayed really close to the TV, especially when the girls bent over." Annabeth gave Gohan a flat look, before shaking her head.

"Nope. Now, close your eyes." Gohan cocked his head in confusion.

"Ummm… why?" she glared daggers at him.

"So I can get dressed, idiot! If you peep, then I'll make sure it's the last thing you ever see!" Gohan shuddered. Annabeth really scared him sometimes. Gohan kept his hands over his eyes, hearing nothing but the slight rustle of clothes.

"You can look now." Annabeth finally spoke five minutes later. Gohan uncovered his eyes to see Annabeth in a loose white shirt and shorts. Her hair billowed down her back, somehow still majestic and curly. As Gohan stared at her, Athena's words rang in his head again.

" _You will bring her pain and suffering."_ Gohan flinched unconsciously. Annabeth looked confused.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"H-huh? Yeah, I'm fine. Just worried about the camp. I mean, you guys took me in when I had… nothing. Seriously. If not for you guys, I might still be wandering around with amnesia. " Gohan stretched out on the couch. Annabeth took a deep breath.

"Me too. Camp's been my home for so long. I have to save Thalia's tree." Gohan shifted, then turned off the TV.

"About that… what's your deal with Tyson? Come on." Annabeth growled as she glared at Gohan.

"Look, it's… I'll tell you later. You should be lucky you don't have to deal with monsters in your world." Gohan snorted.

"Seriously? I'd take cyclopes and gorgons anyday over psycho aliens and androids that can blow up an entire planet with a flick of their finger." Annabeth actually chuckled at that.

"You always smile, don't you? Even in the bleakest moments." Gohan shrugged.

"And you're always thinking. You're always the confident one. My friends would like you." Annabeth smiled.

"I'll take that as a compliment. Good night, Gohan." Annabeth flicked the switch, plunging the room into darkness.

Percy woke to a ship's whistle and a voice on the intercom— some guy with an Australian accent who sounded way too happy.

"Good morning, passengers! We'll be at sea all day today. Excellent weather for the poolside mambo party! Don't forget million-dollar bingo in the Kraken Lounge at one o'clock, and for our special guests, disemboweling practice on the Promenade!"

Percy sat up in bed. "What did he say?"

Tyson groaned, still half asleep. He was lying facedown on the couch, his feet so far over the edge they were in the bathroom. "The happy man said ... bowling practice?"

Percy hoped he was right, but then there was an urgent knock on the suite's interior door. Annabeth then barged in—her blond hair in a rat's nest. She had a look of fear on her face.

"Gohan's gone!" Percy shot up immediately.

"What?" she nodded.

"I just woke up, and he's not on the couch!" Percy then noticed a folded note on the desk. He seized it and opened it, revealing a written note in Gohan's handwriting.

" _Hey guys, just went to get some food, be back in ten._

 _Gohan_

Annabeth was beyond livid, letting out a curse of VERY foul Greek words. "Gods damn it! Why does he always think with his stomach! I SAID I had a bad feeling about this boat." Annabeth cursed.

"Let's go get him." Percy states.

Once they were all dressed, they ventured out into the ship and were surprised to see other people. A dozen senior citizens were heading to breakfast. A dad was taking his kids to the pool for a morning swim. Crew members in crisp white uniforms strolled the deck, tipping their hats to the passengers.

Nobody asked who they were. Nobody paid them much attention. But there was something wrong.

As the family of swimmers passed, the dad told his kids: "We are on a cruise. We are having fun."

"Yes," his three kids said in unison, their expressions blank. "We are having a blast. We will swim in the pool."

They wandered off.

"Good morning," a crew member told them, his eyes glazed. "We are all enjoying ourselves aboard the Princess Andromeda. Have a nice day." He drifted away.

"Percy, this is weird," Annabeth whispered. "They're all in some kind of trance."

Then they passed a cafeteria and saw their first monster. It was a hellhound—a black mastiff with its front paws up on the buffet line and its muzzle buried in the scrambled eggs. It must've been young, because it was small compared to most—no bigger than a grizzly bear. Still, his blood turned cold. He'd almost gotten killed by one of those before.

The weird thing was: a middle-aged couple was standing in the buffet line right behind the devil dog, patiently waiting their turn for the eggs. They didn't seem to notice anything out of the ordinary.

"Not hungry anymore," Tyson murmured.

"Looks like Gohan's not in there." Percy feebly added.

Before Annabeth could reply, a reptilian voice came from down the corridor, "Ssssix more joined yesssterday."

Annabeth gestured frantically toward the nearest hiding place—the women's room—and all three of them ducked inside. He was so freaked out it didn't even occur to him to be embarrassed.

Something—or more like two somethings—slithered past the bathroom door, making sounds like sandpaper against the carpet.

"Yesss," a second reptilian voice said. "He drawssss them. Ssssoon we will be sssstrong."

The things slithered into the cafeteria with a cold hissing that might have been snake laughter.

Annabeth looked at Percy. "We have to get Gohan and get out of here."

"You think I want to be in the girls' restroom?"

"I mean the ship, Percy! We have to get off the ship."

"Smells bad," Tyson agreed. "And dogs eat all the eggs. Annabeth is right. We must leave the restroom and ship."

"How are we gonna find Gohan? This ship is huge!"

Percy shuddered in nervousness.

Then, he heard another voice outside—one that chilled him worse than any monster's.

"—only a matter of time. Don't push me, Agrius!"

It was Luke, beyond a doubt..

"I'm not pushing you!" another guy growled. His voice was deeper and even angrier than Luke's. "I'm just saying, if this gamble doesn't pay off—"

"It'll pay off," Luke snapped. "They'll take the bait. Now, come, we've got to get to the admiralty suite and check on the casket."

Their voices receded down the corridor. Tyson whimpered. "Leave now?" Annabeth and Percy exchanged looks and came to a silent agreement. "We can't," they told Tyson.

"We have to find out what Luke is up to," Annabeth agreed. "And if possible, we're going to beat him up, bind him in chains, and drag him to Mount Olympus."

"But… what about Gohan?" Percy asked. Annabeth looked torn, but took a deep breath and closed her eyes. When she opened her eyes, they were solid as steel, and full of resolve.

"He can take care of himself. With any luck… he'll find us."


	12. Foul Breakfast and Ultimate Terrors

**Hi guys! I think you're all going to enjoy this next chapter, it's full of violence, banter, and excitement! And if you're a hardcore YA fan, I think you'll recognize a little cameo in this chapter.**

"Grahhhhh…" Gohan grumbled as he stood impatiently in line at the breakfast buffet. His stomach rumbled, tortured by the sensation of delicious foods tickling his heightened nostrils. Eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes… all he wanted to just fill his plate full and head back to their room. With any luck, he'd be back before the others woke up.

Still, everyone on this ship acted really weird. They looked normal, but they acted… loopy. Still, Gohan hadn't really paid attention. There were two girls a little older than him in front of him, with their trays perfectly balanced in their hands.

"We are on a cruise. We are having fun." The blonde one stated.

"Yes. We are on a cruise. We are eating. We are having fun." The brunette one repeated as she filled her tray.

"That's the fifteenth time you said that! I get it!" Gohan snapped in annoyance. The girls ignored him, simply shuffling away with their trays. Gohan let out a squeal of delight as he took in the large buffet line.

"Dad, I wish you were here to see this!" he grinned. He spared no expense in filling his tray… or trays. Actually, more like one tray for each food group, stacked like a pyramid. He sat back at a table in the corner, surrounded by food. He went for the eggs first, scarfing down one plate after another.

"Gods, this is good!" Gohan moaned as he licked his lips. Things, however, started to go awry as he started on the sausages. Voices echoed from the outside hallway. Then, a group of kids strode into the cafeteria. Two guys and a girl, dressed in dark purple shirts and jeans. There seemed to be a symbol on their upper chests, though he couldn't make it out.

"Man, Abbs, you see that Aethiopian drakon in the cargo hold?" one of the boys asked.

She laughed. "Yeah, it's awesome." She flipped her dark hair behind her.

"I hear they got two more coming," the guy continued. "They keep arriving at this rate, oh, man—no contest!" Gohan started to get a bad feeling as he slid down in his chair. Thankfully, he was hidden behind the massive pile of food in front of him.

"Is it? I'm still worried about that guy who beat Ares. How are we supposed to fight that?" Gohan realized with a jolt that they were talking about him.

"Please! I'm more scared of the boss than him." The girl gasped.

"You've actually seen him?" The boy shifted awkwardly.

"W-well… no. But…" he was interrupted by the other boy, who howled with laughter.

"Nice, Chris. Real nice." Then, a loud woof echoed as a hellhound bounded into the cafeteria, causing Gohan to shudder. It stuck its nose into the bacon and began scarfing it down.

"Okay… this is bad…" Gohan sweat-dropped. He had to find Percy and Annabeth, fast! If this whole ship was infested with monsters…

"Oh, come on! Where's all the food!" The girl shrieked with annoyance. Gohan cringed.

"Oh wait, it's over there. All piled up." Gohan heard one of the guys comment. He clenched his fists. Looked like this was going to get violent after all…

"Seriously? Who's idea was this? Not funny, man!" Now they were heading towards him.

"I swear, if this is Zack's idea of a joke…" Gohan quickly took in his options. He couldn't sneak out, as he was sitting in the corner. If he ducked under the table, they would still see him. He couldn't use Instant Transmission because his ki senses were STILL muddled. Well, there was only one way Gohan was going to get out of this without raising an alarm. Then, the food tumbled back to reveal the small group of kids, who froze when they saw Gohan, still with half a piece of bacon in his mouth. Gohan stared back, with wide eyes.

"You?" the girl croaked out. He swallowed the bacon, before pulling one last-ditch effort.

"I am on a cruise. I am having fun." Gohan stated in a monotone voice. They simply stared at him, their hands twitching. It was pretty obvious these guys weren't idots. Sighing, he dropped the charade.

"Okay look…" he rose, causing the three to leap back as they slowly inched their hands towards their waists.

"I'm gonna take a guess here and say that you know me. Which also means that you know what I'm capable of." They simply stared at him.

"There's two ways this can go. The first is we go our separate ways, no one raises the alarm, and no one gets hurt." The girl glared at him before speaking.

"And the second?" she asked. Gohan had a sympathetic look.

"Well… that one's gonna hurt."

For what seemed like an eternity, they all stared at each other. Then…

Gohan was like a blur. As the two guys grabbed their swords, Gohan grabbed the one on the left and yanked him forward, causing his face to smash into the table with a loud crack. He screamed as blood poured from his nose, while Gohan followed up with a swift punch across the jaw as he bounded across the table. The guy spun as he slumped to the ground. Chris roared as he swung at Gohan, but he was able to easily duck from the swing. He caught Chris's arm and pressed down on a nerve, causing him to reflexively drop his sword. Gohan then kneed him in the guy, followed by a swift punch to the face. Chris stuttered as he stumbled back several feet, clutching his bleeding nose.

"You…" Then, Chris slumped to the ground unconscious. The whole thing took less than a minute. Gohan stood over the two unconscious bodies, then frowned as he turned to look at Abby. She simple held her hands up.

"Nope. Nope. Nope. No way. I prefer the first option." She stated. Gohan nodded.

"Smart. Still…" Gohan vanished. Abby blinked in confusion as she stepped back. Then, she let out a yelp and slumped over. Gohan lowered his hand as he cradled Abby in the nook of his other arm. He carefully propped her up in his chair, followed by the other two.

"Sorry. You'll all have headaches, but no damage beyond that. Well, except the nose thing." Then, Gohan darted out of the cafeteria, the hellhound never taking notice. He yanked out his sword, which gleamed in his hands.

"Hang on, guys, I'm coming!"

Annabeth volunteered to go alone since she had the cap of invisibility, but Percy convinced her it was too dangerous. Either they all went together, or nobody went.

"Nobody!" Tyson voted. "Please?"

But in the end he came along, nervously chewing on his huge fingernails. They sneaked through the corridors, following the ship's YOU ARE HERE signs toward the admiralty suite. Annabeth scouted ahead invisibly. They hid whenever someone passed by, but most of the people they saw were just glassy-eyed zombie passengers. Still, there were some strange people. There was a trio of what they assumed were guys, dressed in silver armor with a black T on their helmets. There were also several hooded figures, dressed in black, with what looked like metal tubes bouncing on their waists.

As the trio came up the stairs to deck thirteen, they looked around in intrigue.

"Percy." Annabeth stopped suddenly. "Look."

She stood in front of a glass wall looking down into the multistory canyon that ran through the middle of the ship. At the bottom was the Promenade—a mall full of shops— but that's not what had caught Annabeth's attention.

A group of monsters had assembled in front of the candy store: a dozen Laistrygonian giants like the ones who'd attacked Percy with dodge balls, two hellhounds, and a few even stranger creatures—humanoid females with twin serpent tails instead of legs. There were also a few of those strange people with them. Two of the T-helmet visor shaped men were standing by the snake women, and a few other creatures that looked human, but were horrible disfigured.

"Scythian Dracaenae," Annabeth whispered. "Dragon women."

The monsters made a semicircle around a young guy in Greek armor who was hacking on a straw dummy. A lump formed in Percy's throat when he realized the dummy was wearing an orange Camp Half-Blood T-shirt. As they watched, the guy in armor stabbed the dummy through its belly and ripped upward. Straw flew everywhere. The monsters cheered and howled.

Annabeth stepped away from the window. Her face was ashen. "Come on," Percy told her, trying to sound braver than he felt. "The sooner we find Luke the better."

At the end of the hallway were double oak doors that looked like they must lead somewhere important. When we were thirty feet away, Tyson stopped. "Voices inside."

"You can hear that far?" Percy asked. Tyson trembled.

"Something in there. Something s-s-s-scary! Smells funny!" Percy and Annabeth looked at him curiously.

"What? What do you mean?" she asked.

Tyson closed his eye like he was concentrating hard. Then his voice changed, becoming a husky approximation of Luke's. "—the prophecy ourselves. The fools won't know which way to turn."

Before Percy could react, Tyson's voice changed again, becoming deeper and gruffer, like the other guy they'd heard talking to Luke outside the cafeteria. "You really think the old horseman is gone for good?"

Tyson laughed Luke's laugh. "They can't trust him. Not with the skeletons in his closet. The poisoning of the tree was the final straw." Then, Tyson tensed up.

"Enough, all of you! I did not summon you here to bicker like children!" a cruel voice erupted from Tyson's mouth. Percy cringed.

"Who is that?" Percy shuddered. Tyson continued.

"So far, things are proceeding exactly as planned. With Chiron removed from Camp Half-Blood and the borders poisoned, we will continue to chip away at the camp's borders until it falls once and for all." The deep voice interrupted.

"Yeah! You're awesome! And all those other guys you're recruiAAAAHHHHH!" Tyson then let out a series of whimpering noises. Annabeth covered her mouth with wide eyes.

"Interrupt me again, and I will vaporize the rest of you." The cruel voice continued.

"Silly boys. No class whatsoever." Tyson added

Annabeth shivered. "Stop that, Tyson! How do you do that? It's creepy." Tyson opened his eye and looked puzzled. "Just listening."

"Keep going," Percy said. "What else are they saying?"

Tyson closed his eye again.

He then chuckled in the cruel man's voice: "Well, Well! It seems that we have some unexpected guests." Then Luke's voice, whispering: "Are you sure?"

"Yes," Tyson said in the cruel voice. "Right outside."

Too late, Percy realized what was happening.

Percy just had time to say, "Run!" when the doors of the stateroom burst open and there was Luke, flanked by two hairy giants armed with javelins, their bronze tips aimed right at their chests.

"Well," Luke said with a crooked smile. "If it isn't my two favorite cousins. Come right in. It's about time you met the Master."

The stateroom was beautiful, and it was horrible.

The beautiful part: Huge windows curved along the back wall, looking out over the stern of the ship. Green sea and blue sky stretched all the way to the horizon. A Persian rug covered the floor. Two plush sofas occupied the middle of the room, with a canopied bed in one corner and a mahogany dining table in the other. The table was loaded with food—pizza boxes, bottles of soda, and a stack of roast beef sandwiches on a silver platter. But, all that was quickly overshadowed by the throne. At the back of the room, was a massive black throne, which faintly reminded Percy of Hades' throne. The chair was currently facing away from them, over the ocean.

On a velvet dais at the foot of the throne lay a ten-foot-long golden casket. A sarcophagus, engraved with Ancient Greek scenes of cities in flames and heroes dying grisly deaths. Despite the sunlight streaming through the windows, the casket made the whole room feel cold.

"Well," Luke said, spreading his arms proudly. "A little nicer than Cabin Eleven, huh?"

He'd changed since the last summer. Instead of Bermuda shorts and a T-shirt, he wore a button-down shirt, khaki pants, and leather loafers. His sandy hair, which used to be so unruly, was now clipped short. He looked like an evil male model, showing off what the fashionable college-age villain was wearing to Harvard this year.

He still had the scar under his eye—a jagged white line from his battle with a dragon. He also had a few new scars, a reminder of his duel with Gohan. Well, duel was a strong word. More like a trashing. Luke hadn't stood a chance.

Propped against the sofa was his magical sword, Backbiter, glinting strangely with its half- steel, half-Celestial bronze blade that could kill both mortals and monsters.

Luke's large friends were still pointing their javelins at them. They looked like twins, but they weren't human. They stood about eight feet tall, for one thing, and wore only blue jeans, probably because their enormous chests were already shag-carpeted with thick brown fur. They had claws for fin-gernails, feet like paws. Their noses were snoutlike, and their teeth were all pointed canines.

"Where are my manners?" Luke said smoothly. "These are my assistants, Agrius and Oreius. Perhaps you've heard of them."

Percy said nothing. Despite the javelins pointed at them, it wasn't the bear twins who scared him.

"You don't know Agrius and Oreius's story?" Luke asked. "Their mother ... well, it's sad, really. Aphrodite ordered the young woman to fall in love. She refused and ran to Artemis for help. Artemis let her become one of her maiden huntresses, but Aphrodite got her revenge. She bewitched the young woman into falling in love with a bear. When Artemis found out, she abandoned the girl in dis-gust. Typical of the gods, wouldn't you say? They fight with one another and the poor humans get caught in the middle. The girl's twin sons here, Agrius and Oreius, have no love for Olympus. They like half-bloods well enough, though ..."

"For lunch," Agrius growled. His gruff voice was the one I'd heard talking with Luke earlier.

"Hehe! Hehe!" His brother Oreius laughed, licking his fur-lined lips. He kept laughing like he was having an asthmatic fit until Luke and Agrius both stared at him.

"Shut up, you idiot!" Agrius growled. "Go punish yourself!"

Oreius whimpered. He trudged over to the corner of the room, slumped onto a stool, and banged his forehead against the dining table, making the silver plates rattle.

Luke acted like this was perfectly normal behavior. He made himself comfortable on the sofa and propped his feet up on the coffee table. A girl was also in the room, who honestly freaked Percy out. She was leaning against one of the windows, dressed in an outfit of black leather. Jacket, pants, boots, all studded with hard silver. No, not silver. Iron. Percy had never seen anything like it. She was so pale that Percy thought she was a vampire at first. She had silver hair and cold, dark eyes. She also wore a cruel smirk on her face. Her teeth looked like a wolf's, white and sharp.

"ENOUGH!" the cruel voice erupted, rendering everyone in the room silent. The figure on the throne then held up its left ringfinger, which glowed blue. Then, Percy gasped as his whole body froze. He felt like a rock, unable to move a millimeter. The gasps from Annabeth and Tyson indicated that the same had happened to them. Then, Percy and Annabeth shot straight towards throne, stopping to a hover three feet above the ground. The figure then murmured softly, causing their arms and legs to snap together like figurines. The mysterious figure finally turned, causing Percy to choke. This was worse than Hades or Ares.

The throne was sleek black, and had carved dragon heads for armrests. But, it was the figure on the throne that turned Percy's entire body to ice. It was completely cloaked in black, from head to toe. Percy couldn't even tell if it was human or not. The only skin Percy could see were its eyes, which were blood red as they gazed at him. Yet even that was terrifying. It was even more intense than when Annabeth looked at him. These eyes seemed to stare right into his soul, studying every fiber of his very soul. To top the scary factor off, black and red lightning cracked around him, eerily reminding Percy of the lightning he had seen around Gohan, but much darker and ominous. Percy had a feeling he would get electrocuted if he touched him. Percy was baffled, through. Was this Kronos? How was that possible?

"So, you are the son of Poseidon. The one who foiled my plans to plunge the gods into civil war. I thought you would be more… imposing." Percy wanted to say something cool, like "That's right! Fear me!" Instead, all he could get out was "Urrrk." Annabeth was a bit more… gutsy. She let out a stream of Greek curses.

"So you're Luke's partner! You made him betray Olympus! You're responsible for all of this!" Percy wasn't sure, but Luke looked a little bit unsettled. The girl, Oreius, and Agrius simply looked amused. The figure was silent for a minute, before guffawing in laughter.

"I made him? Me? My dear, I'm afraid you are quite mistaken. Surely Luke told you how we met?" Percy remembered that. Luke had boasted to him last summer, about how he had actually succeeded in his quest to attain one of the apples of immortality, but, in a bitter rage, had chosen to sacrifice the glory of succeeding at the quest, and fed the apple to a creature he had found on his return journey back.

"You're lying! You did this to Luke!" Luke's face was now red with embarrassment. Percy almost wanted to laugh. Annabeth was basically humiliating Luke in front of his new friends. The cloaked man seemed to smile, before slowly craning his head to the left.

"Are all women in this world this pathetic and clingy? So humiliating." The silver-haired girl commented. Annabeth tried to glare at her, but couldn't move her neck.

"You want to start something? Come on!" she simply smiled at Annabeth.

"Oh please. You wouldn't last ten seconds against me, red bitch." the cloaked figure seemed to find this amusing. He then lowered his hand. A second later, Percy felt his body unstiffen, and he crashed on his back. Annabeth landed on her butt with a loud grunt. She pulled out her knife, which glowed in the light. Percy yanked out Riptide, causing the girl to look surprised.

"Impressive." Luke grabbed Backbiter while the twins snarled, but the cloaked figure held up his hand.

"Do not interfere. It's about time Evangeline demonstrated her skills. I wish to see if Maven was sincere in his boasting about you and your abilities. Show me. Plus, I wish to see the power of Poseidon and Athena first hand. Though… try not to sink the boat. That would be unpleasant." She flashed him an annoyed glare.

"Tyson, a little help? Take out the silver girl!" Percy kept it simply so he would get it. Tyson, who hadn't moved an inch, looked terrified, but still nodded and charged at Evangeline, letting out a bellow. Percy and Annabeth charged at the throne. Evangeline simply smiled.

Then the iron studs on her jacket moved. They floated in the air, each one a hard round bullet of metal. Then, like shots from a gun, they rocketed away from Evangeline, digging into Tyson. He let out a cry of pain as he stumbled back, metal embedded in his skin. The majority of it, through, bounced off him. Percy was surprised as well, though he managed to slice the majority of the metal aimed at him, though he still did get a few glancing shots on his arms. It reminded him of the time when Matt Sloan had smuggled a BB Gun into school and had shot him in the back during recess. It had not been pleasant. Still… this was worse. Percy made a shocking realization: this girl could control metal.

Annabeth, though, had apparently figured that out much more quickly. She dived under Tyson, using him as a shield to catch the metal. She then rolled towards Evangeline and swung her leg out, knocking Evangeline off her feet. She toppled with a scream, clearly not expecting that. Annabeth then, to everyone's surprise, cold-clocked her right across the face with a loud crack, causing everyone else in the room(save the cloaked figure) to whistle in surprise.

"Damn!" Percy gaped. Evangeline screeched in rage as she stumbled back, cupping her nose. When she removed her hand, it revealed that her nose was bleeding. Silver blood poured down her face. Wait… silver?

Annabeth was so surprised she lowered her knife.

"What are you?" she asked in confusion.

Evangeline simply hissed as she gave a glare of pure venom at Annabeth.

"You… red… BITCH! If this was my country, I would have you suffer a fate worse than death! Even the mere act of touching me would be punishable by death! I would have your entire family slaughtered! But, we are not in my country… thus, I will destroy you myself!" Annabeth sighed in exasperation, before thrusting her knife at the girl's throat.

"We're leaving! All of us! Or she dies!" Percy had to give Annabeth credit for her bravery. And her bluffing, given that her knife would be useless against this girl, given she was a mortal. Or maybe it would. This girl certainly was strange, given her silver blood. Luke and the others looked at the figure on the throne, clearly awaiting orders. But, the figure simply sat there, for what seemed like an eternity. Then, he finally looked at Evangeline with what was clearly amusement. Percy had a bad feeling.

"I appreciate playing with one's prey as much as the next being, but we are on a tight schedule, Samos. Wrap this up." She stiffened, but nodded as she wiped her nose.

"Let me show you, red bitch, why House Samos is one of the most powerful and feared in my land." With one swift motion, she thrust out her hands. The whole room seemed to rumble. Then, metal shot out of the walls. Everything. Pipes, tubing. Before Percy could blink, a large ring had wrapped around him with a loud clang, trapping his arms together once again. A second caught his ankles, causing him to crash to the ground. A loud scream from Annabeth indicated the same had happened to her. Tyson had been pinned to the wall, leaving him kicking in the air. It had taken less than a minute. Then, the cloaked figure brought his hands together, filling the room with a soft clap.

"Impressive. Most impressive. It seems you are everything I was promised and more." Evangeline looked a little flustered, but quickly composed herself and bowed. Luke looked a little annoyed, through.

"I really wish you hadn't messed up the wall. Now this place looks awful. And the plumbing! Gods know how many bathrooms you just put out of order."

"Enough, boy. Now, go refresh yourself, Evangeline. You're dripping silver blood on the carpet." She stiffly bowed, and then gracefully strode out of the room. Percy grunted as he tried to roll, already feeling Riptide back in his pocket.

"Twins, prop them up in the chairs. Looking at them like this is annoying." Oreius, and Agrius grunted as they grabbed Percy and Annabeth, and plopped them into the chairs facing Luke and the throne. Luke grinned as he plopped down in front of them.

"Well, Percy, we let you survive another year. I hope you appreciated it. How's your mom? How's school?"

"You poisoned Thalia's tree." Luke sighed. "Right to the point, eh? Okay, sure I poisoned the tree. So what?"

"How could you?" Annabeth sounded so angry Percy thought she'd explode. She hissed as she squirmed in her bonds, unable to find a release. "Thalia saved your life! Our lives! How could you dishonor her—"

"I didn't dishonor her!" Luke snapped. "The gods dishonored her, Annabeth! If Thalia were alive, she'd be on my side."

"Liar!" "If you knew what was coming, you'd understand—"

"I understand you want to destroy the camp!" she yelled. "You're a monster! You're just as bad as that… that thing behind you! It's done something to you! Its blinded you!"

Luke shook his head. "No, Annabeth. The gods are the ones who have blinded you. Can't you imagine a world without them, Annabeth? What good is that ancient history you study? Three thousand years of baggage! The West is rotten to the core. It has to be destroyed. Join me! We can start the world anew. We could use your intelligence, Annabeth."

"Because you have none of your own!"

His eyes narrowed. "I know you, Annabeth. You deserve better than tagging along on some hopeless quest to save the camp. Half-Blood Hill will be overrun by monsters within the month. The heroes who survive will have no choice but to join us or be hunted to extinction. For example, that girl? Evangeline? She's just among the first of countless more to join our cause. And her people? They're more powerful and monstrous than most of the things on this ship."

"What is she? I've never seen or heard of a monster like that." Annabeth asked. Luke grinned.

"Oh, she's not a monster. She's… royalty. Where she comes from, that is. My partner there made a deal with her boss. A favor for a favor, if you would. She helps us with our problems…" Luke paused to stroke Annabeth's face. She cringed.

"We'll help her boss take out a few… insurgent problems of his own. Apparently, these guys have their own problems to deal with. Something about a traitor prince and a lightning girl, I really didn't get into specifics. Look, the basic idea is that you guys are way out of your element. She's far from the only powerhouse we've got on this boat. Look what she did to you on her own. That's nothing compared to what happens when we get the rest of these guys. Our Collective will rip camp to shreds. You really want to be on a losing team ... with company like this?" Luke pointed at Tyson.

"Hey!" Percy said.

"Traveling with a Cyclops," Luke chided. "Talk about dishonoring Thalia's memory! I'm surprised at you, Annabeth. You of all people—"

"Stop it!" she shouted. She looked like she was about to cry.

"Leave her alone," Percy said. "And leave Tyson out this." Luke laughed. "Oh, yeah, I heard. Your father claimed him."

Percy must have looked surprised, because Luke smiled. "Yes, Percy, I know all about that. And about your plan to find the Fleece. What were those coordinates, again ... 30, 31, 75, 12? You see, I still have friends at camp who keep me posted."

"Spies, you mean."

He shrugged. "How many insults from your father can you stand, Percy? You think he's grateful to you? You think Poseidon cares for you any more than he cares for this monster?"

Tyson clenched his fists and made a rumbling sound down in his throat. Still, that looked pretty weak with him dangling from the wall.

Luke just chuckled. "The gods are so using you, Percy. Do you have any idea what's in store for you if you reach your sixteenth birthday? Has Chiron even told you the prophecy? You think your…friend… will save you from what's coming? I don't think even he can fight Fate itself." Percy wanted to get in Luke's face and tell him off, but as usual, he knew just how to throw him off balance.

"Sixteenth birthday?"

"I know what I need to know," Percy managed. "Like, who my enemies are." "Then you're a fool." Tyson bellowed in rage. "Percy is not a fool!" Somehow, he managed to smash himself free and charge straight towards Luke. His fists came down toward Luke's head—a double overhead blow that would've knocked a hole in titanium—but the figure on the throne intervened. He held up one finger, and Tyson seemed to freeze. He grunted as he struggled to move, but it was like he was pushing against an invisible force. Then, he let out a cry as he flew black and smashed into the adjacent wall.

"Too bad, Cyclops," Luke said. "You really think you're the first of your kind that my friend has dispatched?"

"Luke," Percy cut in. "Listen to me. Your father sent us." His face turned the color of pepperoni. "Don't—even— mention him."

"He told us to take this boat. I thought it was just for a ride, but he sent us here to find you. He told me he won't give up on you, no matter how angry you are."

"Angry?" Luke roared. "Give up on me? He abandoned me, Percy! I want Olympus destroyed! Every throne crushed to rubble! You tell Hermes it's going to happen, too. Each time a half-blood joins us, the Olympians grow weaker and we grow stronger. He grows stronger." Luke pointed to the gold sarcophagus.

The box creeped him out, but Percy was determined not to show it. "So?" Percy demanded. "What's so special ... whoa, you don't mean—"

"He is re-forming," Luke said. "Little by little, we're calling his life force out of the pit. With every recruit who pledges our cause, another small piece appears—"

"Wait, wait, wait… that's not Kronos on the throne? The guy in the cloak?" Luke and Annabeth both gave Percy a flabbergasted look.

"Seriously? No! I just told you that he's my partner! We're resurrecting Kronos together!"

"Percy, if that was Kronos… believe me, we'd know. Luke, this is disgusting!" Annabeth said.

Luke sneered at her. "Your mother was born from Zeus's split skull, Annabeth. I wouldn't talk. Soon there will be enough of the titan lord so that we can make him whole again. We will piece together a new body for him, a work worthy of the forges of Hephaestus."

"You're insane," Annabeth said.

"Join us and you'll be rewarded. We have powerful friends, sponsors rich enough to buy this cruise ship and much more. Percy, your mother will never have to work again. You can buy her a mansion. You can have power, fame—whatever you want. Annabeth, you can realize your dream of being an architect. You can build a monument to last a thousand years. A temple to the lords of the next age! In fact, forget a temple! We can give you an entire WORLD to construct on! Fill it up with as many buildings and temples as you desire!"

"Go to Tartarus," she said. Luke sighed. "A shame. Now, I have another question… where is he?" Percy and Annabeth simply looked at Luke with baffled expressions.

"Who?" Annabeth asked with an innocent look.

"Don't pretend that we're idiots-"

"You're not making it difficult." Percy cut in, getting a glare from Luke.

"Where… is… Gohan?" Annabeth shot Percy the smallest of looks and a shake.

"Why? So he can kick your ass again?" Luke cringed.

"He stayed behind at camp. To protect it. He's a pretty good barrier, especially when he powers up." Annabeth lied flawlessly. But Luke scoffed.

"Come on. You really expect me to believe he didn't tag along? You of all people aren't going to leave behind your big gun. He is on this ship somewhere, and we will find him."

"Good luck with that. If he is here, I don't think a boat is the right place to pick a fight with a guy that blows stuff up." Percy countered.

"Enough." The cloaked man finally interrupted.

"I have no need for the cyclops. But these two? They will make fine additions to my… collection. Especially the son of Poseidon. I require a child of Poseidon for my… set." Percy couldn't help but shudder. Luke looked stricken, through. Percy had never seen Luke look so… scared.

"Sir, I must protest! I don't care about Jackson, but you don't need Annabeth! You've taken enough children of Athena already!" Annabeth looked alarmed at that statement, but kept her mouth shut. Sometimes, it was best to let the bad guys run their mouths.

"This is unlike you. Begging for this girl's existence? Your past with her, your emotions… this is a weakness. You would be better with her… gone." Luke looked stricken.

"But she would be more useful to us whole! Her skills, her intelligence! She'll be a perfect asset!" The figure cut Luke off.

"Those traits would serve us anyway, once she is assimilated." Annabeth and Percy traded baffled looks.

"Look, I've never asked for a favor. Just give her a chance. To think about things." The figure on the throne was silent for what seemed like an eternity. Then…

"One hour. Then, assimilation. She has one hour to decide." Luke had a look of immense relief on his face.

He picked up something that looked like a TV remote and pressed a red button. Within seconds the door of the stateroom opened and two uniformed crew members came in, armed with nightsticks. They had the same glassy-eyed look as the other mortals they'd seen, but he had a feeling this wouldn't make them any less dangerous in a fight.

"Ah, good, security," Luke said, "I'm afraid we have some stowaways." "Yes, sir," they said dreamily.

Luke turned to Agrius and Oreius. "Take these fools below and stow them in the hold. They're like pillows, just pick them up."

Oreius and Agrius lifted Percy and Annabeth like they were moving boxes and carried them out, followed by the two human security guards. Oreius dragged an unconscious Tyson by the scruff of his neck. Annabeth grunted as she tried to kick Agrius in the face, getting a chuckle from his brother.

They exited the corridor amidships and walked across an open deck lined with lifeboats. Percy knew the ship well enough to realize this would be their last look at sunlight, before this… assimilation they had been talking about. Once they got to the other side, they'd take the elevator down into the hold, and that would be it. This was bad. He and Annabeth were basically hog-tied in metal, and Tyson was unconscious. Whatever that thing had done, it had been effective. They only had one hope left. Percy prayed to the gods that Gohan found them in time. Thankfully, it seemed like someone was listening. A pair of grunts made the small group turn to see Gohan standing over the two unconscious security guards, a smirk on his face.

"Hi there." He thrust his fist out and slammed Oreius in the chest, so hard that it sent him flying across the bow. He then side-kicked Agrius, sending him flying over the side of the ship. His roar trailed out, followed by a loud splash. Gohan effortlessly caught Percy and Annabeth in each arm.

"Man, you guys are light!" Gohan grinned as he laid them up the side of the wall.

"A little help, buddy?" Gohan nodded as he looked over Percy.

"Okay…" Gohan gripped the iron ring and grunted as he pulled. A minute later, the iron ripped in half with a loud, horrible noise. Percy groaned as the blood rushed to his arms.

"Could you be a little more quiet?" Annabeth hissed. Gohan snorted as he tossed the two pieces over the side.

"Well, I could try melting it." Annabeth winched.

"Never mind." Gohan smirked as he gripped Annabeth's iron ring and pulled, tearing it free. Annabeth let out a groan of relief as she sat up and rubbed her sore arms. She then plucked her knife from the floor, which had been wretched free when Gohan had punched Oreius, and slid it back into her pants. She then whacked Gohan over the head with a piece of her iron bonds.

"OW!" Gohan yelped.

"Never! Wander! Off! Again!" she yelled. Then, she gripped him in a tight hug.

"I was worried sick!" Gohan gave Percy a puzzled glance over her shoulder.

"What?" he mouthed. Percy just shook his head.

"Some… really crazy stuff went down. Where have you been?" Gohan shrugged.

"Punching people. Killing monsters." Percy sighed.

"We need to get off this boat. Right now!" Gohan nodded.

"Yeah! But I can't carry all three of you!" It was at that moment that Tyson finally woke up.

"Bad man!" he yelped, then very confused by his new surroundings.

"Hey, we got out of there, big guy." Percy said. Tyson looked confused.

"Bad people gone?" Percy nodded.

"Yeah. But we gotta get moving." Then a loud yelp made them all turn to see a girl staring at them. She was standing five feet away from them, with two steaming cups of coffee in her hands. She was dressed in the same outfit as the others, and had long brown hair tucked in a ponytail. She stared from the group to the alarm box right next to her.

"Don't even think about it." Annabeth warned as Gohan held his hand up. The girl looked between them and the alarm box one more time. Then, she moved at the same instant that Gohan fired a ki blast. It caught her in the shoulder, but it backfired. She cried as she spun in a circle and slammed into the alarm.

"Seriously?" Annabeth screeched.

Red lights flashed. Sirens wailed. "Lifeboat!" Percy yelled. They ran for the nearest one. Gohan ripped off the cover in one swift tear. As they did this, monsters and more security men were swarming the deck, pushing aside tourists and waiters with trays of tropical drinks. A guy in Greek armor drew his sword and charged, but slipped in a puddle of piña colada. Laistrygonian archers assembled on the deck above them, notching arrows in their enormous bows.

"How do you launch this thing?" screamed Annabeth.

A hellhound leaped at them, but Tyson slammed it aside with a fire extinguisher. Then, several red lights shot over their head and blasted into the wall, erupting in several small explosions.

"What the?" Percy whirled and gaped. Hovering behind them were three of those metallic armored, T-visor helmet warriors holding what looked like grey guns.

"Are those jetpacks?" Annabeth screamed.

"Down!" Gohan yelled as he fire off a ki blast, which the jet-pack warriors shot away from. The blast exploded, filling the air with smoke.

"Get in!" Percy yelled. He uncapped Riptide and slashed the first volley of arrows out of the air.

The lifeboat was hanging over the side of the ship, high above the water. Annabeth and Tyson were having no luck with the release pulley.

Gohan and Percy jumped in beside them. "Hold on!" Gohan yelled, and blasted the ropes .A shower of arrows whistled over our heads as we free-fell toward the ocean.

"Thermos!" Percy screamed as we hurtled toward the water.

"What?" Annabeth must've thought he'd lost my mind. She was holding on to the boat straps for dear life, her hair flying straight up like a torch. What looked like a rocket narrowly missed them, passing over their heads into the water with a loud explosion and blast of water.

But Tyson understood. Percy managed to open his duffel bag and take out Hermes's magical thermos without losing his grip on it or the boat.

Arrows, laser bolts and javelins whistled past them.

Percy grabbed the thermos and hoped Annabeth was doing the right thing. "Hang on!"

"I am hanging on!" Annabeth yelled.

"Tighter!" Gohan cheered as he waved his hands. He did hook his legs in under the bench, and wrapped his tail around one of the railings for good measure.

Percy hooked his feet under the boat's inflatable bench, and as Tyson grabbed Annabeth and Percy by the backs of their shirts, he gave the thermos cap a quarter turn.

Instantly, a white sheet of wind jetted out of the thermos and propelled them sideways, turning their downward plummet into a forty-five-degree crash landing. The jetpack warriors that had been chasing them got blasted full on, sending them spiraling in all directions.

The wind seemed to laugh as it shot from the thermos, like it was glad to be free. As they hit the ocean, they bumped once, twice, skipping like a stone, then they were whizzing along like a speed boat, salt spray in their faces and nothing but sea ahead.

Percy heard roars of outrage from the ship behind us, but they were already out of weapon range. The Princess Andromeda faded to the size of a white toy boat in the distance, and then it was gone.

 **Did you enjoy the read? There's plenty more coming soon! I'm curious to see how many cameos you guys noticed in this chapter. I plan to have a lot more cameos in the future, plus a few more OCs down the line. Plus, if you guys have any… recommendations about anyone else you'd like to see join Cell's team, toss them in the reviews! I mean anyone, from any series or franchise. Plus, any romantic pairings you guys hope will blossom in the future…**


	13. Hut Arguments, and Hydra Slicing

Luke was still as he stood behind Cell, who was calmly looking out the window.

"They've escaped." Cell nodded.

"Of course they have. I expected nothing less." Luke shifted nervously.

"We're... not going after them?" Cell shook his head.

"No. We will allow them to continue their little quest... for now. Once they acquire the fleece... then we will make our move. In the meantime..." Cell paused, and then made a small gesture. Luke then took a step back in surprise as five floating orbs appeared outside the window in front of Cell. They made a series of loud beeping noises, most of which sounded gibberish to Luke.

"Follow them, but keep a distance." The drones made a series of beeping noises, before shooting away from the window, fading into the distance.

"As for you..." Cell then turned and flicked his wrist. Luke was confused for a split second, and then the left side of his face exploded in pain. He let out a hysterical wail as he crumpled to his knees, clenching the side of his face.

"Never contradict me in front of others again. Or next time, it won't just be your face." Luke sobbed uncontrollably as he spasmed on the carpet.

"WOOOOOOO! THIS IS AWESOME!" Gohan cheered as he bounced in the boat, sea spray splashing in his face.

"Of course he would think so." Annabeth scoffed

As they raced over the sea, they tried to send an Iris-message to Chiron. They figured it was important they let somebody know what Luke was doing, and they didn't know who else to trust. Especially with the… alarming revelations they learned.

The wind from the thermos stirred up a nice sea spray that made a rainbow in the sunlight— perfect for an Iris-message—but their connection was still poor. When Annabeth threw a gold drachma into the mist and prayed for the rainbow goddess to show them Chiron, his face appeared all right, but there was some kind of weird strobe light flashing in the background and rock music blaring, like he was at a dance club.

They told him about sneaking away from camp, and Luke and the Princess Andromeda, the golden box for Kronos's remains and Luke's powerful partner(Gohan was baffled by all this too, since he hadn't been there for that part), but between the noise on his end and the rushing wind and water on our end, Percy wasn't not sure how much he heard.

"Percy," Chiron yelled, "you have to watch out for—"

His voice was drowned out by loud shouting behind him—a bunch of voices whooping it up like Comanche warriors.

"What?" he yelled.

"Curse my relatives!" Chiron ducked as a plate flew over his head and shattered somewhere out of sight. "Annabeth, you shouldn't have let them leave camp! But if you do get the Fleece—"

"Yeah, baby!" somebody behind Chiron yelled. "Woo-hoooooo!"

The music got cranked up, subwoofers so loud it made the boat vibrate.

"—Miami," Chiron was yelling. "I'll try to keep watch—"

Their misty screen smashed apart like someone on the other side had thrown a bottle at it, and Chiron was gone. Gohan was a little shocked at the least by the story Percy and Annabeth told him about their little excursion.

"I can't believe I missed all that!" Percy boggled at him.

"You weren't there. You don't get it. This guy was on a whole new level! He beat us with one flick of his finger! There was a girl there who could control metal!"

"Silver girl mean." Tyson muttered as he picked metal out of his arms.

"It was… unreal." Annabeth murmured. Percy and Gohan looked at each other nervously. Annabeth had been acting.. .differently since they had gotten away from the boat. She sat in the rear, her arms pressed together.

"Are you okay?" Percy asked. Annabeth simply gave a small nudge with her head. Though, this wasn't the time or place to be talking about things like this. Percy and Gohan made a silent agreement to talk to Annabeth about this later.

An hour later they spotted land—a long stretch of beach lined with high-rise hotels. The water became crowded with fishing boats and tankers. A coast guard cruiser passed on our starboard side, then turned like it wanted a second look.

"That's Virginia Beach!" Annabeth said as they approached the shoreline. "Oh my gods, how did the Princess Andromeda travel so far overnight?" Gohan shrugged.

"That's like—"

"Five hundred and thirty nautical miles," Percy said.

She stared at him. "How did you know that?"

"I—I'm not sure." Percy stated.

Annabeth thought for a moment. "Percy, what's our position?"

"36 degrees, 44 minutes north, 76 degrees, 2 minutes west," Percy said immediately. Then, he shook my head. "Whoa. How did I know that?"

"That is awesome." Gohan grinned.

"Because of your dad," Annabeth guessed. "When you're at sea, you have perfect bearings. That is so cool."

Tyson tapped Percy's shoulder. "Other boat is coming."

They looked back. The coast guard vessel was definitely on their tail now. Its lights were flashing and it was gaining speed. Gohan held his hand up.

"I'll blast the water in front of it!" Annabeth grabbed his arm.

"No! That's the last thing we need! They'll probably think it's a bomb or something, and then the coast will be swarming with army ships!"

"Well, we can't let them catch us," Percy said. "They'll ask too many questions." "Keep going into Chesapeake Bay," Annabeth said. "I know a place we can hide."

Percy didn't ask what she meant, or how she knew the area so well. He risked loosening the thermos cap a little more, and a fresh burst of wind sent them rocketing around the northern tip of Virginia Beach into Chesapeake Bay. The coast guard boat fell farther and farther behind. They didn't slow down until the shores of the bay narrowed on either side, and he realized they'd entered the mouth of a river.

Percy could feel the change from salt water to fresh water. Suddenly, he was tired and frazzled, like he was coming down off a sugar high. Percy didn't know where he was anymore, or which way to steer the boat. Gohan, noticing Percy's fatigue, took over. It was a good thing Annabeth was directing him.

"There," she said. "Past that sandbar."

They veered into a swampy area choked with marsh grass. He beached the lifeboat at the foot of a giant cypress. Gohan had never seen anything like it.

Vine-covered trees loomed above them. Insects chirred in the woods. The air was muggy and hot, and steam curled off the river.

"Come on," Annabeth said. "It's just down the bank." "What is?" Percy asked.

"Just follow." She grabbed a duffel bag. "And we'd better cover the boat. We don't want to draw attention."

After burying the lifeboat with branches, Tyson, Gohan, and Percy followed Annabeth along the shore, their feet sinking in red mud. Well, Percy and Tyson were. Gohan whistled as he floated several inches in the air, his feet hovering above the ground. There was also a light yellow energy field surrounding him, which acted as a bug zapper. Percy was a little annoyed by this, to say the least.

"Seriously? Seriously? Could you be anymore of a showoff?" Percy demanded. Gohan shrugged.

"Hey, beats being an insect buffet. This place is weird. Never seen one like it before." Annabeth was a little confused by this.

"I though you said you grew up in a forest!" Gohan nodded.

"Yeah, a forest, not this! Tall tree, lots of plants and river. Not this." Gohan gestured around him. A snake slithered past Percy's shoe and disappeared into the grass.

"Not a good place," Tyson said. He swatted the mosquitoes that were forming a buffet line on his arm.

After another few minutes, Annabeth said, "Here."

All the boys saw was a patch of brambles. Then Annabeth moved aside a woven circle of branches, like a door, and they realized they were looking into a camouflaged shelter.

The inside was big enough for three, though this did create a little bit of a problem with Tyson. Percy came up with a solution.

"Um, Tyson?" Percy asked. "Would you mind scouting around outside? Like, look for a wilderness convenience store or something?"

"Convenience store?" "Yeah, for snacks. Powdered donuts or something. Just don't go too far."

"Get a spare box for me!" Gohan added. Percy wanted to slap him.

"Powdered donuts," Tyson said earnestly. "I will look for powdered donuts in the wilderness." He wandered off and started calling, "Here, donuts!"

Once he was gone, they entered the hut.

"Coooooollll!" Gohan squealed.

The walls were woven from plant material, like a Native American hut, but they looked pretty water-proof. Stacked in the corner was everything you could want for a campout—sleeping bags, blankets, an ice chest, and a kerosene lamp. There were demigod provisions, too— bronze javelin tips, a quiver full of arrows, an extra sword, and a box of ambrosia. The place smelled musty, like it had been vacant for a long time.

"A half-blood hideout." Percy looked at Annabeth in awe. You made this place?" "Thalia and I," she said quietly. "And Luke." Gohan made a unpleasant noise at the mention of Luke's name, and Percy was pretty sure they were feeling the same thing.

When-ever Annabeth talked about the time she'd spent with them, Percy kind of felt ... he didn't know. Uncomfortable?

No. That's not the word.

The word was jealous.

"So ..." Percy said. "You don't think Luke will look for us here? Or that… thing?"

She shook her head. "We made a dozen safe houses like this. I doubt Luke even remembers where they are. Or cares."

She threw herself down on the blankets and started going through her duffel bag. Her body language made it pretty clear she didn't want to talk. Gohan, on the other hand, didn't have the best social skills.

"I gotta admit, When I was a runaway, training to get ready to fight Vegeta and Nappa, I didn't have any friends with me. Well, except that day I spent with the orphans." Percy remembered that story, when Gohan had told them about his past.(For more details, check the DBZ episode.)

"That was different than what happened to us, Gohan." Annabeth stated coldly. Gohan raised an eyebrow.

"Really? How?" she scoffed.

"You didn't run away, you were abducted from your home… twice! And you never were in any danger, because that Piccolo guy was always watching over you, making sure you were safe. I didn't get any help like that." Gohan looked a little annoyed at that.

"And your goddess mommy didn't do that for you?" Annabeth looked like she had been slapped. But Gohan continued.

"It wasn't a walk in the park, Annabeth! I had it rough! I almost got vaporized, dozens of times! I fought aliens who could vaporize a planet with a flick of a finger! I watched my friends die!" Annabeth laughed sarcastically at that.

"Seriously? You have those magic orbs, Gohan! Those dragonballs you told us about, that can fix any problem you want! You got a problem, just make a wish and everything's okay again!" Gohan glared at her.

"It's not that simple!" She snorted.

"Oh no! Krillin died again! Let's get the dragonballs!" she then, sarcastically, pressed her thumb into the dirt, making seven holes. Gohan was starting to get red-faced.

"Oh Shenron, please resurrect my friend!" she ordered in an imitation of Gohan's face. She then answered in a deep voice, then changed to a whiny voice.

"Okay. Poof! Your friend is alive again! No big deal! Hey Gohan, I'm back again! Yay!" Gohan shot up in a rage.

"STOP IT!" he roared. She laughed.

"So sorry, did I strike a nerve? Well, sorry Gohan! We don't have magic orbs that make everything okay again! When someone dies in this world, that's it! End of story!" she screamed in his face.

"ENOUGH!" Percy roared, causing Gohan and Annabeth to look at him in surprise.

"Look, we're tired, we had… a hellish morning, and everyone's on edge! Look, let's just sit down and relax." The three of them glared at each other, but Annabeth finally slackened and slid down to sit Indian style. Gohan sighed as he sat down against the adjacent wall.

"You're right, I'm sorry. I'm just… that thing back there. Whatever it was, it made mincemeat of us. All it did was flick a finger, and I couldn't move. It could have killed us anytime it wanted, and it just… played with us." Percy nodded.

"Yeah… it was a bit of a terrifying experience. I couldn't even move." Annabeth nodded.

"Yeah. It's one thing to at least try to fight, but to be completely immobile? Tossed around like a rag doll? I haven't felt that helpless since the night Thalia…" Annabeth's voice trailed off. Both boys snuck each other a nervous look.

"But you sure showed that silver girl! Did you see her face when you punched her? Priceless!" she actually cracked a smile.

"Yeah, that was hilarious. I have a feeling that that won't the last time we see her. Still, I've never fought anyone like that." She frowned as she unsheathed her knife and stared at the blade, which had silver blood on it.

"Yeah, she was like an evil Magneto. What kind of monster was that?" Percy asked. Annabeth shook her head.

"I've never seen silver blood. Red blood, golden ichtor, sure. But never silver. And her statement, saying _her_ world…" Annabeth mused.

"We'll have to figure that out later. We should focus on finding Grover. But next time, we'll be ready." Gohan stated.

Percy sat down across from Annabeth. "Hey, I'm sorry about, you know, seeing Luke." Gohan snarled.

"Stupid Luke. Next time I see him, I'm gonna beat him into pieces!" Gohan snarled.

"It's not your fault." She started cleaning the blade with a rag. "They let us go too easily."

"Like you said, Annabeth, that thing could have killed us anytime it wanted. So why didn't it?" Percy asked.

Annabeth nodded. "I was thinking the same thing. What we overheard him say about a gamble, and 'they'll take the bait'... I think he was talking about us."

"The Fleece is the bait? Or Grover?" Gohan asked.

She studied the edge of her knife. "I don't know. Maybe he wants the Fleece for himself. Maybe he's hoping we'll do the hard work and then he can steal it from us. I just can't believe he would poison the tree."

"What did he mean," Percy asked, "that Thalia would've been on his side?"

"He's wrong."

"You don't sound sure."

Annabeth glared at Percy, and even Gohan shuddered. He briefly pictured her holding a frying pan, which made it even worse.

"Percy, you know who you remind me of most? Thalia. You guys are so much alike it's scary. I mean, either you would've been best friends or you would've strangled each other."

"Let's go with 'best friends.'"

"What about me?" Gohan piped up. Annabeth glared at him.

"What about you?" she asked.

"Well, don't you think we would've been friends?" she shrugged.

"Maybe. You're both reckless and hot-headed. Then there's the whole matter with the Master bolt sword. I bet she would have been pissed that you got it and not her, given that she's Zeus's daughter." Annabeth sighed

"Thalia got angry with her dad sometimes. So do you, Percy. Would you turn against Olympus because of that?"

Percy stared at the quiver of arrows in the corner. "No." "Okay, then. Neither would she. Luke's wrong." Annabeth stuck her knife blade into the dirt.

"So what did Luke mean about Cyclopes?" Gohan asked. "He said you of all people—"

"I know what he said. He ... he was talking about the real reason Thalia died."

Annabeth drew a shaky breath. "You can never trust a Cyclops. Six years ago, on the night Grover was leading us to Half-Blood Hill—"

She was interrupted when the door of the hut creaked open. Tyson crawled in. "Powdered donuts!" he said proudly, holding up two pastry boxes. Gohan stared for one second before cheering.

"Gimmie!" he snatched one box and started scarfing down, making his face look like someone had thrown flour in it.

Annabeth stared at Tyson. "Where did you get that? We're in the middle of the wilderness. There's nothing around for—"

"Fifty feet," Tyson said. "Monster Donut shop—just over the hill!"

"This is bad," Annabeth muttered. She was cut off by a large burp, making her glare at Gohan, who had scarfed down the rest of the doughnuts.

"What?"

Two minutes later, they were crouching behind a tree, staring at the donut shop in the middle of the woods. It looked brand new, with brightly lit windows, a parking area, and a little road leading off into the forest, but there was nothing else around, and no cars parked in the lot. We could see one employee reading a magazine behind the cash register. That was it. On the store's marquis, in huge black letters, it said:

MONSTER DONUT

A cartoon ogre was taking a bite out of the O in MONSTER. The place smelled good, like fresh-baked chocolate donuts.

"This shouldn't be here," Annabeth whispered. "It's wrong." "What?" Percy asked. "It's a donut shop." "Shhh!"

"Why are we whispering? Tyson went in and bought a dozen. Nothing happened to him." "He's a monster. And get that stuff off your face, Gohan!"

"Aw, c'mon, Annabeth. Monster Donut doesn't mean monsters! It's a chain. We've got them in New York."

"A chain," she agreed. "And don't you think it's strange that one appeared immediately after you told Tyson to get donuts? Right here in the middle of the woods?" Gohan shrugged

"We've got a lot of weird things in a lot of weird places back home. Master Roshi has a house on an island in the middle of the ocean." Annabeth looked like she wanted to slap him.

"This isn't your world, Gohan! Things don't work the same." Gohan shrugged.

"Okay, so… what?"

"It could be a nest," Annabeth explained.

Tyson whimpered. Percy doubt he understood what Annabeth was saying any better than he did, but her tone was making him nervous. He'd plowed through half a dozen donuts from his box and was getting powdered sugar all over his face.

"A nest for what?" Percy asked.

"Haven't you ever wondered how franchise stores pop up so fast?" she asked. "One day there's nothing and then the next day—boom, there's a new burger place or a coffee shop or whatever? First a single store, then two, then four— exact replicas spreading across the country?" Gohan and Percy shook their heads.

"Um, no. Never thought about it."

"Guys, some of the chains multiply so fast because all their locations are magically linked to the life force of a monster. Some children of Hermes figured out how to do it back in the 1950s. They breed—"

She froze. "What?" Percy demanded. "They breed what?"

"No—sudden—moves," Annabeth said, like her life depended on it. "Very slowly, turn around."

Then, they heard it: a scraping noise, like something large dragging its belly through the leaves. Gohan gulped when he saw it.

They turned and saw a rhino-size thing moving through the shadows of the trees. It was hissing, its front half writhing in all different directions. Then, he realized the thing had multiple necks—at least seven, each topped with a hissing reptilian head. Its skin was leathery, and under each neck it wore a plastic bib that read: I'm A MONSTER DONUT KID!

"What is that?" Gohan whispered softly. Annabeth gave him a nervous look.

"The Hydra." She answered.

Percy took out his ballpoint pen while Gohan's hand inched towards his wrist, but Annabeth gave them a silent warning. Not yet.

So, they waited.

The Hydra was only a few feet away. It seemed to be sniffing the ground and the trees like it was hunting for something. Then they noticed that two of the heads were ripping apart a piece of yellow canvas—one of our duffel bags. The thing had already been to their campsite. It was following their scent. Gohan had certainly seen his fair share of creatures both in this world and back home, but this one was… new. Each head was diamond-shaped, like a rattlesnake's, but the mouths were lined with jagged rows of sharklike teeth.

Tyson was trembling. He stepped back and accidentally snapped a twig. Immediately, all seven heads turned toward them and hissed.

"Scatter!" Annabeth yelled. She dove to the right, Percy rolled to the left, and Gohan leaped straight into the air.

One of the Hydra heads spat an arc of green liquid that shot past Percy's shoulder and splashed against an elm. The trunk smoked and began to disintegrate. The whole tree toppled straight toward Tyson, who still hadn't moved, petrified by the monster that was now right in front of him.

"Tyson!" Percy tackled him with all his might, knocking him aside just as the Hydra lunged and the tree crashed on top of two of its heads.

"HEY UGLY!" Immediately, all of the heads whirled to look at Gohan, who was floating in the air ten feet above it.

"Suck on this! HA!" Gohan fired a massive blue blast, which smashed into the Hydra's body with a massive explosion. It screeched as it was sent flying, tumbling through the foliage like a massive ball, sending trees and twigs flying, before rolling to a slow stop.

"Did I kill it?" Gohan called out. A split-second later, the Hydra shot up, wailing in outrage. All seven heads thrashed around like whips and shot acid in all directions, causing everything it hit to melt into a steaming pool of muck.

"WHOA!" Gohan shot to the left, barely avoiding a stream of acid.

"Move!" Percy told Tyson. He ran to one side and uncapped Riptide, hoping to draw the monster's attention.

It worked.

The sight of celestial bronze is hateful to most monsters. As soon as Percy glowing blade appeared, the Hydra whipped toward it with all its heads, hissing and baring its teeth. The good news: Tyson was momentarily out of danger. The bad news: Percy was about to be melted into a puddle of goo.

"NO!" Gohan cried. He tapped his wrist and shot downwards, Ascension forming in his hands.

One of the heads snapped at Percy experimentally.

"HEY!" All the heads looked up in confusion, just in time to see Gohan shooting towards it, his sword held high.

"No!" Annabeth yelled.

Too late. Gohan sliced downwards, slicing clean through two of the Hydra's heads. The others roared and shot towards him. But Gohan was faster. He leaped in an arc, slicing the third head off. He then raced up the side of the third's neck as it slumped, and sliced the fourth head off as it shot towards him. He then leaped and fired off two ki blasts, blasting the fifth and sixth heads in the face, causing them to thrash. Gohan then whirled as the seventh head shot towards him, grabbing the side of the seventh's neck. He then kicked off, and sliced the fifth and sixth heads off in two large arcs. Then, he landed on the ground and whirled to face the last head. It roared and shot towards him. Gohan then gripped the hilt and hurled Ascension like a frisbee, slicing clean through the last head's neck. The heads fell like coconuts, hitting the ground with loud thuds, then rolled away into the grass, leaving a flailing stump. The body then crashed into the ground with a loud crash. Gohan smirked as he slapped his hands together as he turned to face Percy and Annabeth.

"And that's how it's done." Annabeth looked like she wanted to stab Gohan with her knife.

"You… stupid… IDIOT!" Annabeth pointed at the Hydra, and Gohan quickly realized what she meant. The necks were thrashing. They had immediately stopped bleeding and began to swell like balloons.

In a matter of seconds the wounded necks split into two necks, each of which grew a full-size head. A minute later, they were looking at an fourteen-headed Hydra. Which, in fact, was an extremely disturbing sight.

"Gohan!" Annabeth scolded. "You just opened another… seven Monster Donut shops somewhere!" he dodged a spray of acid. "I'm about to die and you're worried about that?" Annabeth scoffed.

"I can't believe you spent so much time talking about that STUPID Hercules movie, and you forget the ONE good thing it taught! Don't slice the head off!" Gohan groaned in exasperation. He grabbed a ten foot tree and ripped it out of the ground, before trying to use it as a giant club. A minute later, he withdrew to stare at a two foot acid-eroded stub.

"Huh." He them yelped as he dodged three thrashing heads.

"How do we kill it?" Percy yelled.

"Fire!" Annabeth said. "We have to have fire!"

As soon as she said that, Percy remembered the story. The Hydra's heads would only stop multiplying if they burned the stumps before they regrew. That's what Heracles had done, anyway. But they had no fire.

"I can try to cauterize the heads with a Destructo disk!" Gohan yelled.

"No time!" Annabeth cried. Gohan shot into the air and tried to blast the Hydra again. But it only seemed to piss it off. The problem was that he couldn't go full out without killing Percy and Annabeth.

Percy backed up toward river. The Hydra followed.

Annabeth moved in on his left and tried to distract one of the heads, parrying its teeth with her knife, but another head swung sideways like a club and sent her flying. Gohan shot down and grabbed her, narrowly managing to avoid a wave of acid.

"Nice save!" Annabeth yelped as her feet swung in the open air.

"No hitting my friends!" Tyson charged in, putting himself between the Hydra and Percy. Tyson started smashing at the monster heads with his fists so fast it reminded Percy of the whack-a-mole game at the arcade. But even Tyson couldn't fend off the Hydra forever.

"We gotta come up with a plan!" Gohan yelled as he tried to swerve past the rush of heads. Annabeth had a green face, and looked like she wanted to throw up. They landed behind the Hydra, and Gohan tried to blast the creature again. But, it simply shrugged off the blast and kept thrashing.

They all kept inching backward, dodging acid splashes and deflecting snapping heads without cutting them off, but it was clear they were in serious trouble.

"I can't vaporize it without killing you guys!" Gohan yelled as Ares' shield appeared on his arm, catching a large blast of acid just in the nick of time.

"Come on!" he roared as he charged the Hydra, slamming his shield into the monster's body.

Then, he heard a strange sound—a chug-chug-chug that at first I thought was my heartbeat. It was so powerful it made the riverbank shake.

"What's that noise?" Annabeth shouted, keeping her eyes on the Hydra.

"Steam engine," Tyson said. "What?" Percy ducked as the Hydra spat acid over his head.

Then from the river behind them, a familiar female voice shouted: "There! Prepare the thirty- two-pounder!"

Percy didn't dare look away from the Hydra, but if that was who he thought it was behind them, he figured they now had enemies on two fronts.

A gravelly male voice said, "They're too close, m'lady!" "Damn the heroes!" the girl said. "Full steam ahead!" "Aye, m'lady." "Fire at will, Captain! If you hit the one with the tail, even better!"

Annabeth understood what was happening a split second before Percy did. She yelled, "Hit the dirt!" and they dove for the ground as an earth-shattering BOOM echoed from the river. Well, Gohan wasn't that fast. There was a flash of light, a column of smoke, and the Hydra exploded right in front of Percy and Annabeth, showering them with nasty green slime that vaporized as soon as it hit, the way monster guts tend to do.

"GOHAN!" Annabeth screamed in horror, her hands over her mouth.

"Steamship!" yelled Tyson. Percy stood, coughing from the cloud of gunpowder smoke that was rolling across the banks.

Chugging toward them down the river was the strangest ship he'd ever seen. It rode low in the water like a submarine, its deck plated with iron. In the middle was a trapezoid-shaped casemate with slats on each side for cannons. A flag waved from the top—a wild boar and spear on a bloodred field. Lining the deck were zombies in gray uniforms— dead soldiers with shimmering faces that only partially covered their skulls, like the ghouls he'd seen in the Underworld guarding Hades's palace. A loud coughing made them turn to see Gohan emerge from the smoke, covered in goo.

"Whoa, that was loud." Annabeth had a look of immense relief on her face.

"Thank the gods!" Annabeth threw her arms around Gohan, not caring if she was covered in more goo.

The ship was an ironclad. A Civil War battle cruiser. They could just make out the name along the prow in moss-covered letters: CSS Birmingham.

And standing next to the smoking cannon that had almost killed them, wearing full Greek battle armor, was Clarisse.

"Losers," she sneered. "But I suppose I have to rescue you. Come aboard."

 **Hey guys! Writing this series is a blast, and I love all the feedback I get from you guys. So, just for fun, I thought that it might be a cool idea to do a little contest, again, just for fun. No prize money or anything like that. So, it's basically this: I'd love to see some fan art of this series, such as Gohan in a Camp Half-Blood outfit or/and with Ascension, or Gohan with Annabeth and/ or Percy, that type of thing. I don't mind, just give me your best take on him! The best one will get to be the cover art for Gohan and the Titan's Curse. This contest will last until the end of Sea of Monsters. PM me if you're interested. Again, none of this is for profit, just some good old fun! Until next time, keep reading!**


	14. Getting Past the Bouncers

"You are in so much trouble," Clarisse said.

They'd just finished a ship tour they didn't want, through dark rooms overcrowded with dead sailors.

They'd seen the coal bunker, the boilers and engine, which huffed and groaned like it would explode any minute. They'd seen the pilothouse and the powder magazine and gunnery deck (Clarisse's favorite) with two Dahlgren smoothbore cannons on the port and starboard sides and a Brooke nine-inch rifled gun fore and aft—all specially refitted to fire celestial bronze cannon balls.

Everywhere they went, dead Confederate sailors stared at us, their ghostly bearded faces shimmering over their skulls. They approved of Annabeth because she told them she was from Virginia. They were interested in Percy, too, because my name was Jackson—like the Southern general—but then he ruined it by telling them he was from New York. They all hissed and muttered curses about Yankees. Gohan had it even worse. They just snarled at him and called him a flurry of names that made Annabeth livid, though Gohan wasn't sure what they meant.

"That's racist!"

Tyson was terrified of them. All through the tour, he insisted Annabeth hold his hand, which she didn't look too thrilled about.

Finally, they were escorted to dinner. The CSS Birmingham captain's quarters were about the size of a walk-in closet, but still much bigger than any other room on board. The table was set with white linen and china. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, potato chips, and Dr Peppers were served by skeletal crewmen. Percy didn't want to eat anything served by ghosts, but his hunger overruled his fear. Gohan didn't even hesitate.

"You know, one day, you're going to eat so fast that someone's going to poison you." Annabeth glanced at Clarisse when she said that. Clarisse snorted.

"Tantalus expelled you all for eternity," Clarisse told us smugly. "Mr. D said if any of you show your face at camp again, he'll turn you into squirrels and run you over with his SUV."

"I'm not scared of that guy." Percy could have sworn that the submarine rumbled when Gohan said. Then again, this sub shook a lot.

"Did they give you this ship?" Percy asked. "'Course not. My father did."

"Ares? But I blew him into a thousand pieces!" Percy wanted to slap Gohan. Wrong time and place to mention that. Clarisse's eyes flared.

"Ares is a god, you buffoon! An immortal! You didn't kill him, you couldn't! He's simply been reforming this whole time!" Gohan nodded.

"Oh. We had a bad guy back home who managed to get himself immortal. Garlic Jr. Guy was impossible to kill. I mean, I once blew a hole through his stomach, and he simply regenerated it and kept going. He almost took over the entire world, too, by controlling everyone's minds with magic mist." Clarisse snorted.

"That's pathetic."

"So… how'd you win?" Percy asked.

"I destroyed his source of power and helped trapped him into this void he created, the Dead Zone. You float through pitch blackness for eternity. So, since he's immortal, he's trapped there forever."

"Jeez." Annabeth whistled.

Clarisse sneered. "You think your daddy is the only one with sea power, Jackson? The spirits on the losing side of every war owe a tribute to Ares. That's their curse for being defeated. I prayed to my father for a naval transport and here it is. These guys will do anything I tell them. Won't you, Captain?"

The captain stood behind her looking stiff and angry. His glowing green eyes fixed the others with a hungry stare. "If it means an end to this infernal war, ma'am, peace at last, we'll do anything. Destroy anyone."

Clarisse smiled. "Destroy anyone. I like that." Tyson gulped.

"Clarisse," Annabeth said, "Luke might be after the Fleece, too. We saw him. He's got the coordinates and he's heading south. He has a cruise ship full of monsters—"

"Good! I'll blow him out of the water." Gohan snorted.

"Your ship is, like, a dot compared to that boat."

"You don't understand, Clarisse. Luke's partner… it's unlike anything we've ever seen. It disabled me and Percy with a flick of a finger and tossed us around like we were nothing!" Annabeth protested.

"There's this girl too, who can control metal! Like rip it from the walls and hurl it at you! You are on the worse possible type of vessel right now." Percy added. Clarisse snorted.

"Oh please. You really thing I'm gonna believe that? A girl that can control metal, how stupid is that?" Annabeth was livid.

"It won't be so stupid when she crumples this ship and you in it!" Percy protested.

"Clarisse! We have to combine forces. Let us help you—"

"No!" Clarisse pounded the table. "This is my quest, smart girl! Finally I get to be the hero, and you three will not steal my chance. Especially not him!" she pointed at Gohan, who sighed in exasperation.

"Where are your cabin mates?" Percy asked. "You were allowed to take two friends with you, weren't you?"

"They didn't ... I let them stay behind. To protect the camp."

"You mean even the people in your own cabin wouldn't help you?"

"Shut up, Prissy! I don't need them! Or you!"

"Clarisse," Percy said, "Tantalus is using you. He doesn't care about the camp. He'd love to see it destroyed. He's setting you up to fail."

"No! I don't care what the Oracle—" She stopped herself. "What?" Percy said. "What did the Oracle tell you?"

"Nothing." Clarisse's ears turned pink. "All you need to know is that I'm finishing this quest and you're not helping. On the other hand, I can't let you go ..."

"So we're prisoners?" Annabeth asked.

"Guests. For now." Clarisse propped her feet up on the white linen tablecloth and opened another Dr Pepper. "Captain, take them below. Assign them hammocks on the berth deck. If they don't mind their manners, show them how we deal with enemy spies. Except him." Clarisse pointed at Gohan with a look of loathing.

"Lock him up and toss him in the brig! Celestial bronze chains should do!" Gohan shot up, his hands sparking as several sailors shuffled towards him with gold chains. Percy shot up as well, his hand pulling out his pen. However, Annabeth was the one who ultimately saved them.

"Hospitium!" she cried, causing everyone to freeze and look at her.

"What?" Clarisse said.

"Hospitium! Guest right! I'm invoking the law of Hospitium, between host and guest!" Gohan and Percy looked confused, but Clarisse snarled.

"That doesn't apply here, Chase." Annabeth snorted.

"Oh yes it does. You welcomed us, strangers, onto this vessel, and you gave us food and drink. Plus, you yourself just called us guests. That grants me, Percy, Tyson and Gohan the right to hospitality, and places us under the protection of Zeus, who is also the god of strangers and suppliants. If you break this right, you are subject to the wrath of Zeus himself. Breaking the laws of hospitality is one of the gravest laws you can commit against the gods. Remember the story of the House of Atreus?" The sky above them shook with thunder, so loud that they could all clearly hear it, even over the engines below. Percy and Gohan both marveled at Annabeth's ingenuity. Clarisse's face turned as red as the magma from the climbing walls. The zombies backed away.

"She speaks the truth, my lady. We dare not risk Zeus' wrath." The captain stiffly spoke. Clarisse looked like she wanted to yank out her spear and run Gohan and Annabeth through with it.

"… Very well. Escort them all below. And… take care of them." Gohan did not like the way Clarisse quoted that. Five minutes later, the small group was nestled in their hammocks.

"Annabeth… that was awesome!" Gohan laughed.

"Yeah. You really saved our butts back there." Percy could have sworn Annabeth was beet red, but he couldn't tell

"You're welcome. Honestly, I thought of it the moment we stepped on board, considering how… on odds you are with Clarisse."

"Not my fault."

"More like a series of bad coincidences." Percy added. Annabeth snorted.

"Boys." A minute later, they heard snoring from her hammock.

"Why are girls so weird, Percy? They act the same back home." Gohan asked. Percy snickered.

"I have a funny feeling that girls are something no one understands, anywhere." Gohan chuckled at that before slipping into sleep. Well, unlike Percy, he didn't dream of Grover or being trapped on an island. Instead, he found himself in what looked like a plasma lamp world, a wide array of bright, glowing colors. Gohan couldn't describe it, but it felt… nice. Warm. And calm. Quiet and peaceful. He wasn't sure how long he floated there, immersed in the warmth and comfort. Then, a voice called out.

"Go… han…" It was so faint that Gohan wasn't sure if he had heard it at first. Then, it repeated.

"Gohan…" it was a bit louder now. Gohan could have sworn that it was a familiar voice, but he wasn't sure. Something shimmered in front of him. But before he could get a closer look, the whole world shook.

Gohan woke to alarm bells ringing throughout the ship.

The captain's gravelly voice: "All hands on deck! Find Lady Clarisse! Where is that girl?"

Then, Percy's face appeared over Gohan's. "Get up, Gohan. Annabeth's already above! We're almost there."

"Almost where?"

Percy smirked. "The Sea of Monsters."

The two of them were on their way upstairs when something made them freeze. A presence nearby—something familiar and unpleasant. For no particular reason, Gohan let out a snarl. He felt like he wanted to explode. Ascend to the highest level and rip everything apart. The last time he'd felt like that kind of anger ...

Instead of going up, Percy and Gohan crept to the edge of the ventilation grate and peered down into the boiler deck.

Clarisse was standing right below them, talking to an image that shimmered in the steam from the boilers—a muscular man in black leather biker clothes, with a military haircut, red-tinted sunglasses, and a knife strapped to his side. Gohan snarled while Percy's fists clenched. It was their least favorite Olympian: Ares, the god of war. "I don't want excuses, little girl!" he growled.

"Y-yes, father," Clarisse mumbled.

"You don't want to see me mad, do you?"

"No, father."

"No, father," Ares mimicked. "You're pathetic. I should've let one of my sons take this quest."

"I'll succeed!" Clarisse promised, her voice trembling. "I'll make you proud."

"You'd better," he warned. "You asked me for this quest, girl. If you let that slimeball Jackson kid steal it from you—"

"Father…"

"AND DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON THAT OTHERWORLDER! HE MADE MY NAME A LAUGHINGSTOCK!" It was so loud that the boys almost went deaf.

"I couldn't, Father! They invoked Hospitum—"

"DO I LOOK LIKE I CARE?"

"But the Oracle said—"

"I DON'T CARE WHAT IT SAID!" Ares bellowed with such force that his image shimmered. "You will succeed. And if you don't ..."

He raised his fist. Even though he was only a figure in the steam, Clarisse flinched. "Do we understand each other?" Ares growled.

The alarm bells rang again.

The two of them crept back from the ventilation grate and made their way upstairs to join Annabeth and Tyson on the spar deck.

"What's wrong?" Annabeth asked. "Another dream?" Percy and Gohan traded nervous looks.

Clarisse came up the stairs right after them.

She grabbed a pair of binoculars from a zombie officer and peered toward the horizon. "At last. Captain, full steam ahead!"

Gohan looked in the same direction as she was, but couldn't see much. The sky was overcast. The air was hazy and humid, like steam from an iron.

The engine groaned as they increased speed.

Tyson muttered nervously, "Too much strain on the pistons. Not meant for deep water."

After a few more minutes, the dark splotches ahead of us came into focus. To the north, a huge mass of rock rose out of the sea—an island with cliffs at least a hundred feet tall. About half a mile south of that, the other patch of darkness was a storm brewing. The sky and sea boiled together in a roaring mass.

"Hurricane?" Annabeth asked. "No," Clarisse said. "Charybdis." Annabeth paled. "Are you crazy?"

"Only way into the Sea of Monsters. Straight between Charybdis and her sister Scylla." Clarisse pointed to the top of the cliffs, and Percy got the feeling something lived up there that he did not want to meet.

"Wait, what?" Gohan asked curiously. Annabeth groaned.

"I gave you that guidebook for a reason! So you would be prepared for these types of things?"

"What do you mean the only way?" Percy asked, ignoring Gohan and Annabeth's bickering. "The sea is wide open! Just sail around them."

Clarisse rolled her eyes. "Don't you know anything? If I tried to sail around them, they would just appear in my path again. If you want to get into the Sea of Monsters, you have to sail through them." Gohan cocked his head curiously.

"What if we just fly over them? Does that count?" Clarisse and Annabeth looked confused.

"What do you mean?" Gohan beamed.

"Well, you all know that I'm pretty strong. So, what if I just pick up this boat, lift it into the air, and carry over these two things? Once we're over, I just settle the boat back down, and we're on our way." Percy actually marveled at the ingenuity of this plan, but Annabeth shook her head.

"Too many ways that it can go wrong. This ship is way too hot, for one. Once it was out of the water, it would heat up to intense degrees. You'll burn your hands again. Plus, your hands would be occupied with the boat, leaving you open as easy prey for Scylla. And if you accidentally drop the boat from that height, you might wreck the whole thing." She then turned to Clarisse.

"What about the Clashing Rocks?" Annabeth said. "That's another gateway. Jason used it." "I can't blow apart rocks with my cannons," Clarisse said. "Monsters, on the other hand ..." "You are crazy," Annabeth decided.

"Watch and learn, Wise Girl." Clarisse turned to the captain. "Set course for Charybdis!" "Aye, m'lady."

The engine groaned, the iron plating rattled, and the ship began to pick up speed. "Clarisse," Percy said, "Charybdis sucks up the sea. Isn't that the story?"

"And spits it back out again, yeah."

"What about Scylla?"

"She lives in a cave, up on those cliffs. If we get too close, her snaky heads will come down and start plucking sailors off the ship."

"Geez." Gohan said with wide eyes.

"Choose Scylla then," Percy said. "Everybody goes below deck and we chug right past."

"No!" Clarisse insisted. "If Scylla doesn't get her easy meat, she might pick up the whole ship. Besides, she's too high to make a good target. My cannons can't shoot straight up. Charybdis just sits there at the center of her whirlwind. We're going to steam straight toward her, train our guns on her, and blow her to Tartarus!"

She said it with such relish that Percy almost wanted to believe her.

The engine hummed. The boilers were heating up so much Percy could feel the deck getting warm beneath my feet. The smokestacks billowed. The red Ares flag whipped in the wind.

As they got closer to the monsters, the sound of Charybdis got louder and louder—a horrible wet roar like the galaxy's biggest toilet being flushed. Every time Charybdis inhaled, the ship shuddered and lurched forward. Every time she exhaled, they rose in the water and were buffeted by ten-foot waves.

Undead sailors calmly went about their business on the spar deck. Percy guess they'd fought a losing cause before, so this didn't bother them. Or maybe they didn't care about getting destroyed because they were already deceased. Neither thought made him feel any better.

Annabeth stood next to Percy, gripping the rail. "You still have your thermos full of wind?"

Percy nodded. "But it's too dangerous to use with a whirlpool like that. More wind might just make things worse."

"What about controlling the water?" she asked. "You're Poseidon's son. You've done it before."

"I—I can't," Percy said miserably.

"We need a backup plan," Annabeth said. "This isn't going to work."

"Annabeth is right," Tyson said. "Engine's no good."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Pressure. Pistons need fixing."

Before he could explain, the cosmic toilet flushed with a mighty roaaar! The ship lurched forward and I was thrown to the deck. They were in the whirlpool.

"Full reverse!" Clarisse screamed above the noise. The sea churned around them, waves crashing over the deck. The iron plating was now so hot it steamed. "Get us within firing range! Make ready starboard cannons!"

Dead Confederates rushed back and forth. The propeller grinded into reverse, trying to slow the ship, but they kept sliding toward the center of the vortex. Annabeth gritted her teeth and turned towards Gohan.

"Gohan, get into the air! You can act as our aerial reconnaissance. Blast Charybdis, and watch out for Scylla!" Gohan nodded, before shooting into the air. When he was in the air, he shuddered. He then thrust his hands out and roared, blowing out a massive wave of wind. It made the mist in front of Gohan part for a brief second, enough to give him a glimpse of Charybdis. It was… disgusting.

She appeared only a few hundred yards away, through a swirl of mist and smoke and water. The first thing Gohan noticed was the reef—a black crag of coral with a fig tree clinging to the top, an oddly peaceful thing in the middle of a maelstrom. All around it, water curved into a funnel, like light around a black hole. Then, Gohan saw the horrible thing anchored to the reef just below the waterline—an enormous mouth with slimy lips and mossy teeth the size of rowboats. And worse, the teeth had braces, bands of corroded scummy metal with pieces of fish and driftwood and floating garbage stuck between them.

Charybdis was an orthodontist's nightmare. She was nothing but a huge black maw with bad teeth alignment and a serious overbite, and she'd done nothing for centuries but eat without brushing after meals. As he watched, the entire sea around her was sucked into the void— sharks, schools of fish, a giant squid. And Percy realized that in a few seconds, the CSS Birmingham would be next. Gohan decided to make a quick test. He pressed his hands together over his head.

"MASENKO-HA!" Gohan roared, firing a massive yellow light from his hands. It shot into the beast's jaw, briefly fading away. Then, a massive plume of smoke shot out of the monster's maw, followed by an inhuman roar of pure rage.

"Huh." Gohan commented as he cocked his head.

"Well, that didn't work!" Percy commented sarcastically.

A zombie sailor burst out of the hold and ran to Clarisse. His gray uniform was smoking. His beard was on fire. "Boiler room overheating, ma'am! She's going to blow!"

"Well, get down there and fix it!"

"Can't!" the sailor yelled. "We're vaporizing in the heat."

Clarisse pounded the side of the casemate. "All I need is a few more minutes! Just enough to get in range!"

"Are you serious? Gohan just fired a blast strong enough to blow up a building, and all it did was piss it off!" Clarisse snorted as she punched the deck railing.

"We're going in too fast," the captain said grimly. "Prepare yourself for death." "No!" Tyson bellowed. "I can fix it."

Clarisse looked at him incredulously. "You?"

"He's a Cyclops," Annabeth said. "He's immune to fire. And he knows mechanics." "Go!" yelled Clarisse.

"Tyson, no!" Percy grabbed his arm. "It's too dangerous!"

He patted Percy's hand. "Only way, brother." His expression was determined—confident, even. He'd never seen him look like this before. "I will fix it. Be right back."

"Lady Clarisse," the captain shouted. "Starboard and forward guns are in range!" "Fire!" Clarisse ordered.

Three rounds were blasted into the monster's maw. One blew off the edge of an incisor. Another disappeared into her gullet. The third hit one of Charybdis's retaining bands and shot back at them, snapping the Ares flag off its pole.

"Again!" Clarisse ordered. The gunners reloaded, but Percy knew it was hopeless. They would have to pound the monster a hundred more times to do any real damage, and they didn't have that long. They were being sucked in too fast. A bright blue light shot over their heads and smashed into the side of her jaw, erupting in another flash of light. The wind was so intense that the boat briefly rattled. But when the smoke faded, the only visible damage was a few singe marks and missing incisors.

Then the vibrations in the deck changed. The hum of the engine got stronger and steadier. The ship shuddered and they started pulling away from the mouth.

"Tyson did it!" Annabeth said.

"Wait!" Clarisse said. "We need to stay close!" "We'll die!" Percy said. "We have to move away." Annabeth waved upwards at Gohan.

"Distract her!" thank gods, he understood. Gohan raised his hands and pressed them together, unleashing a flurry of bright yellow ki blasts into the maw, erupting in small explosions. These weren't as powerful as the previous ones, but they were much more annoying. The monster erupted in another roar. Then, the mouth snapped shut. The sea died to absolute calm. Water washed over Charybdis.

"Hey, I think I did it!" Gohan beamed as he continued to blast, the yellow balls exploding against the creature's closed mouth.

Then, just as quickly as it had closed, the mouth exploded open, spitting out a wall of water, ejecting everything inedible, including their cannonballs, one of which slammed into the side of the CSS Birmingham with a ding like the bell on a carnival game. Gohan was barely able to dodge the second.

They were thrown backward on a wave that must've been forty feet high. It took all of Percy's willpower to keep the ship from capsizing, but they were still spinning out of control, hurtling toward the cliffs on the opposite side of the strait. Before they smashed into the cliffs, however, they slowed down, and came to a stop barely two feet away. Confused, Percy looked over the edge and saw why. Gohan was floating beneath him, his hands pressed on the hull. He had flown down and pushed the ship, enough to save them from a collision.

"Nice save!" Percy yelled, causing Gohan to look up at him and smirk. Then, he let out a howl of pain as he floated away from the ship.

"HOOOOOOOTTTTTTTT!" Percy groaned as Gohan plunged his hands into the sea and sighed with relief.

Another smoldering sailor burst out of the hold. He stumbled into Clarisse, almost knocking them both overboard. "The engine is about to blow!"

"Where's Tyson?" Percy demanded.

"Still down there," the sailor said. "Holding it together somehow, though I don't know for how much longer."

The captain said, "We have to abandon ship."

"No!" Clarisse yelled.

"We have no choice, m'lady. The hull is already cracking apart! She can't—"

He never finished his sentence. Quick as lightning, something brown and green shot from the sky, snatched up the captain, and lifted him away. All that was left were his leather boots.

"Scylla!" a sailor yelled, as another column of reptilian flesh shot from the cliffs and snapped him up. It happened so fast it was like watching a laser beam rather than a monster. Percy couldn't even make out the thing's face, just a flash of teeth and scales.

"Phew!" Gohan sighed as he lifted his hands out of the water, still red. Then, in an instant, something yanked at his back, ripping him into the air with a startled yell.

"Gohan, watch out!" Percy yelled as he uncapped Riptide and tried to swipe at the monster as it carried off another deckhand, but he was way too slow.

"A LITTLE LATE FOR THAT!" Percy looked up to see Gohan struggling in the air, his shirt caught in Scylla's mouth.

"Gohan!" Annabeth cried out

"He'll be fine! Everyone get below!" Percy yelled.

"We can't!" Clarisse drew her own sword. "Below deck is in flames." "Lifeboats!" Annabeth said. "Quick!"

"They'll never get clear of the cliffs," Clarisse said. "We'll all be eaten."

"Gohan can keep Scylla distracted! But we have to move!" Percy cried.

"We have to try. Percy, the thermos."

"I can't leave Tyson!"

"We have to get the boats ready!"

Clarisse took Annabeth's command. She and a few of her undead sailors uncovered one of the two emergency rowboats while Scylla's heads rained from the sky like a meteor shower with teeth, picking off Confederate sailors one after another.

"Come on!" Gohan roared as a blue fire surrounded his body. He snarled as he struggled to free himself from the monsters' grip. A blue light formed in his hand, and he grunted as he twisted his hand to aim just over his head, blasting Scylla right in the face. The beam did the job, for once. Scylla's head exploded, showing Gohan in monster goop… again. He flew free, a loud tear echoing. He blinked in surprise as he looked down… and grimaced.

"Oh, come on!" His shirt had been torn to shreds, ripped by Scylla's teeth. The pieces left fell off him, little more than orange ribbons. Leaving him shirtless.

"Seriously?" Then, he let out a yelp in alarm as he whirled out of the way of another one of Scylla's heads, pulling out Ascension as he jabbed at her eye, hitting the mark dead on. Her head grunted and receded.

"COME ON!" Gohan roared.

"Get the other boat." Percy threw Annabeth the thermos. "I'll get Tyson."

"You can't!" she said. "The heat will kill you!"

Percy ran for the boiler room hatch, when suddenly his feet weren't touching the deck anymore. He was flying straight up, the wind whistling in his ears, the side of the cliff only inches from his face.

Scylla had somehow caught Percy by the knapsack, and was lifting me up toward her lair.

"DESTRUCTO DISK!" A yellow disk shot over Percy's head and sliced clean through Scylla's neck, freeing Percy as the head toppled and fell into the water with a loud splash. Percy was sure that he was about to go splat, but then he was yanked mid-air.

"I didn't know that you could fly!" Gohan laughed as he gripped Percy's underarms.

"Not funny! And what happened to your shirt?" Percy asked.

"It got shredded!" Gohan yelled as they ducked under a darting head.

"Come on, I need to get Tyson!" But then, the CSS Birmingham exploded below them.

KAROOM!

The engine room blew, sending chunks of ironclad flying in either direction like a fiery set of wings.

"Tyson!" Percy yelled.

"ANNABETH!" Gohan cried out.

The lifeboats had managed to get away from the ship, but not very far. Flaming wreckage was raining down. Clarisse and Annabeth would either be smashed or burned or pulled to the bottom by the force of the sinking hull, and that was thinking optimistically, assuming they got away from Scylla.

"We have to help them!"

Then, they heard a different kind of explosion—the sound of Hermes's magic thermos being opened a little too far in Percy's backpack… which was pressed directly against Gohan's chest. For one second, the two boys froze.

"Oh, come o…" Gohan was then slammed in the chest, which felt like one of Vegeta's punches. He screamed as he was ripped away from Percy, sending them shooting them in opposite directions. White sheets of wind blasted in every direction, scattering the lifeboats, lifting Percy out of his free fall and propelling him across the ocean. Gohan shot toward the water, so fast that he couldn't stop himself. He hit the water with a crash, then bouncing across the surface of the water like a stone in a pond.

The last thing he remembered was sinking in a burning sea, overwhelmed by a feeling of complete failure.


	15. CC's Spa of Terror

**Hey guys! So, these next two chapters are going to be split in two different perspectives, both of which are going to cover the same amount of time. This one's going to focus on Percy and Annabeth, then next chap's going to be Gohan's.**

Percy woke up in a rowboat with a makeshift sail stitched of gray uniform fabric. Annabeth sat next to him, tacking into the wind.

Percy tried to sit up and immediately felt woozy.

"Rest," she said. "You're going to need it."

"Tyson ... ?"

She shook her head. "Percy, I'm really sorry."

"He may have survived," she said halfheartedly. "I mean, fire can't kill him."

Percy nodded. But, he'd seen that explosion rip through solid iron. If Tyson had been down in the boiler room, there was no way he could've lived.

He'd given his life for them, and all Percy could think about were the times he'd felt embarrassed by Tyson, and had denied that the two of them were related.

They were silent while the waves tossed them up and down. Percy then noticed something else.

"Where's Gohan?" Annabeth looked stricken, like she wanted to throw up or cry. Percy felt a cold wave of fear wash over him.

"Is he—"

"I don't know." She admitted.

"When the thermos got loose, he got blasted by the air. It was like a cannon, sending him flying that way." Annabeth pointed far to their left.

"I lost sight of him after a minute. That was two hours ago." Annabeth had a worried expression on her face.

Waves lapped at the boat. Annabeth showed Percy some things she'd salvaged from the wreckage—Hermes's thermos (now empty), a Ziploc bag full of ambrosia, a couple of sailors' shirts, and a bottle of Dr Pepper. She'd fished Percy out of the water and found his knapsack, bitten in half by Scylla's teeth. Most of his stuff had floated away, but they still had Hermes's bottle of multivitamins, and of course Percy had Riptide. The ballpoint pen always appeared back in Percy's pocket no matter where he lost it.

They sailed for hours. Now that they were in the Sea of Monsters, the water glittered a more brilliant green, like Hydra acid. The wind smelled fresh and salty, but it carried a strange metallic scent, too—as if a thunderstorm were coming. Or something even more dangerous. Percy knew what direction they needed to go. Percy knew they were exactly one hundred thirteen nautical miles west by northwest of their destination. But that didn't make him feel any less lost. They still searched for Gohan in the meantime. To keep their voices from going hoarse, they took turns in shouting out his name, in five minute intervals. After another two hours, though, they still didn't get any response. Percy kept expecting him to literally land in front of them, a goofy grin on his face. But, he still didn't show. Annabeth, despite the red tinge on her face from the sun, still looked nervous and pale.

"We'll find him, don't worry. Or, he'll find us. He's a tough guy, Annabeth. He can take care of himself." She gave him a nervous look.

"Come on! This is the guy who survived getting ripped out of his own dimension! The guy who vaporized the Chimera! Went one on one with Ares and won! Come on, what does your wisdom instinct tell you?" She smiled at that.

"I know."

No matter which way they turned, the sun seemed to shine straight into Percy's eyes. They took turns sipping from the Dr Pepper, shading ourselves with the sail as best they could. And they talked about Percy's latest dream of Grover.

By Annabeth's estimate, they had less than twenty-four hours to find Grover, assuming his dream was accurate, and assuming the Cyclops Polyphemus didn't change his mind and try to marry Grover earlier.

"Yeah," Percy said bitterly. "You can never trust a Cyclops."

Annabeth stared across the water. "I'm sorry, Percy. I was wrong about Tyson, okay? I wish I could tell him that."

Percy looked down at their measly possessions—the empty wind thermos, the bottle of multivitamins.

"Annabeth, what's Chiron's prophecy?"

She pursed her lips. "Percy, I shouldn't—"

"I know Chiron promised the gods he wouldn't tell me. But you didn't promise, did you?"

"Knowledge isn't always good for you."

"Your mom is the wisdom goddess!"

"I know! But every time heroes learn the future, they try to change it, and it never works."

"The gods are worried about something I'll do when I get older," Percy guessed. "Something when I turn sixteen."

Annabeth twisted her Yankees cap in her hands. "Percy, I don't know the full prophecy, but it warns about a half-blood child of the Big Three—the next one who lives to the age of sixteen. That's the real reason Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades swore a pact after World War II not to have any more kids. The next child of the Big Three who reaches sixteen will be a dangerous weapon."

"Why?"

"Because that hero will decide the fate of Olympus. He or she will make a decision that either saves the Age of the Gods, or destroys it."

Percy suddenly felt ill. "That's why Kronos didn't kill me last summer."

She nodded. "You could be very useful to him. If he can get you on his side, the gods will be in serious trouble."

"But if it's me in the prophecy—"

"We'll only know that if you survive three more years. That can be a long time for a half- blood. When Chiron first learned about Thalia, he assumed she was the one in the prophecy. That's why he was so desperate to get her safely to camp. Then she went down fighting and got turned into a pine tree and none of us knew what to think. Until you came along."

On their port side, a spiky green dorsal fin about fifteen feet long curled out of the water and disappeared.

"This kid in the prophecy ... he or she couldn't be like, a Cyclops?" Percy asked. "The Big Three have lots of monster children."

Annabeth shook her head. "The Oracle said 'half-blood.' That always means half-human, half- god. There's really nobody alive who it could be, except you."

"Then why do the gods even let me live? It would be safer to kill me." "You're right."

"Thanks a lot."

"Percy, I don't know. I guess some of the gods would like to kill you, but they're probably afraid of offending Poseidon. Other gods ... maybe they're still watching you, trying to decide what kind of hero you're going be. You could be a weapon for their survival, after all. The real question is ... what will you do in three years? What decision will you make?"

"Did the prophecy give any hints?"

Annabeth hesitated.

Then a sea-gull swooped down out of nowhere and landed on their makeshift mast. Annabeth looked startled as the bird dropped a small cluster of leaves into her lap.

"Land," she said. "There's land nearby!"

Sure enough, there was a line of blue and brown in the distance. Another minute and Percy could make out an island with a small mountain in the center, a dazzling white collection of buildings, a beach dotted with palm trees, and a harbor filled with a strange assortment of boats.

The current was pulling their rowboat toward what looked like a tropical paradise.

"Welcome!" said the lady with the clipboard.

She looked like a flight attendant—blue business suit, perfect makeup, hair pulled back in a ponytail. She shook their hands as they stepped onto the dock. With the dazzling smile she gave Percy and Annabeth, you would've thought they'd just gotten off the Princess Andromeda rather than a banged- up rowboat. Along with a bunch of pleasure yachts, there was a U.S. Navy submarine, several dugout canoes, and an old-fashioned three- masted sailing ship. There was a helipad with a "Channel Five Fort Lauderdale" helicopter on it, and a short runway with a Learjet and a propeller plane that looked like a World War II fighter. Maybe they were replicas for tourists to look at or something.

"Is this your first time with us?" the clipboard lady inquired.

Annabeth and Percy exchanged looks. Annabeth said, "Umm ..."

"First—time—at—spa," the lady said as she wrote on her clipboard. "Let's see ..."

She looked us up and down critically. "Mmm. An herbal wrap to start for the young lady. And of course, a complete makeover for the young gentleman."

"A what?" Percy asked.

She was too busy jotting down notes to answer.

"Right!" She said with a breezy smile. "Well, I'm sure C.C. will want to speak with you personally before the luau. Come, please."

"Wait! We lost our friend. Is he here? We've been trying to find him." Annabeth asked. She gave them a curious look.

"Friend?" Percy and Annabeth nodded.

"Our friend, Gohan. He's our age, and really buff. He also has spiky black hair, black eyes. Plus, he usually has this really stupid expression on his face, both adorable and annoying. Oh, and a tail!" Percy was a little dumbfounded by Annabeth's… very descriptive detail of Gohan.

"A… tail?" the woman asked with a baffled expression. Annabeth nodded.

"Plus, he might not be wearing a shirt." Percy added. The woman shook her head.

"Sorry dears, we haven't seen anyone like that. You two are our first arrivals in quite a lone time! C.C. will adore the both of you!"

Now here's the thing. Annabeth and Percy were used to traps, and usually those traps looked good at first. So, he expected the clipboard lady to turn into a snake or a demon, or something, any minute. But on the other hand, they'd been floating in a rowboat for most of the day. He was hot, tired, and hungry, and when this lady mentioned a luau, Percy's stomach sat up on its hind legs and begged like a dog.

"I guess it couldn't hurt," Annabeth muttered.

Of course it could, but they followed the lady anyway.

The place was amazing. There was white marble and blue water everywhere Percy looked. Terraces climbed up the side of the mountain, with swimming pools on every level, connected by watersides and waterfalls and underwater tubes you could swim through. Fountains sprayed water into the air, forming impossible shapes, like flying eagles and galloping horses.

Tyson loved horses, and Percy knew he'd love those fountains. He almost turned around to see the expression on his face before Percy remembered: Tyson was gone.

"You okay?" Annabeth asked him. "You look pale."

"I'm okay," Percy lied. "Just ... let's keep walking."

They passed all kinds of tame animals. A sea turtle napped in a stack of beach towels. A leopard stretched out asleep on the diving board. The resort guests—only young women, as far as I could see—lounged in deck chairs, drink-ing fruit smoothies or reading magazines while herbal gunk dried on their faces and manicurists in white uniforms did their nails.

As they headed up a staircase toward what looked like the main building, Percy heard a woman singing. Her voice drifted through the air like a lullaby. Her words were in some language other than Ancient Greek, but just as old—Minoan, maybe, or something like that. Percy could understand what she sang about—moonlight in the olive groves, the colors of the sunrise. And magic. Something about magic. Her voice seemed to lift him off the steps and carry him toward her.

They came into a big room where the whole front wall was windows. The back wall was covered in mirrors, so the room seemed to go on forever. There was a bunch of expensive- looking white furniture, and on a table in one corner was a large wire pet cage. The cage seemed out of place, but Percy didn't think about it too much, because just then he saw the lady who'd been singing ... and whoa.

She sat at a loom the size of a big screen TV, her hands weaving colored thread back and forth with amazing skill. The tapestry shimmered like it was three dimensional—a waterfall scene so real I could see the water moving and clouds drifting across a fabric sky.

Annabeth caught her breath. "It's beautiful."

The woman turned. She was even prettier than her fabric. Her long dark hair was braided with threads of gold. She had piercing green eyes and she wore a silky black dress with shapes that seemed to move in the fabric: animal shadows, black upon black, like deer running through a forest at night.

"You appreciate weaving, my dear?" the woman asked. "Oh, yes, ma'am!" Annabeth said. "My mother is—"

She stopped herself. You couldn't just go around announcing that your mom was Athena, the goddess who invented the loom. Most people would lock you in a rubber room.

Their hostess just smiled. "You have good taste, my dear. I'm so glad you've come. My name is C.C."

The animals in the corner cage started squealing. They must've been guinea pigs, from the sound of them.

They introduced themselves to C.C. She looked Percy over with a twinge of disapproval, as if he'd failed some kind of test. Immediately, Percy felt bad. For some reason, he really wanted to please this lady.

"Oh, dear," she sighed. "You do need my help." "Ma'am?" Percy asked.

C.C. called to the lady in the business suit. "Hylla, take Annabeth on a tour, will you? Show her what we have available. The clothing will need to change. And the hair, my goodness. We will do a full image consultation after I've spoken with this young gentleman." Then, the door knocked, and another girl poked her head in.

"C.C, another girl just arrived. She looks a bit… odd." Percy and Annabeth looked at each other curiously.

"Clarisse?" Annabeth said curiously. Percy shrugged.

"Well, odd would be a good description of her." C.C looked delighted.

"Very well. Bring her here, as soon as I'm done with Percy's makeover. In the meantime, do something with this lovely young lady's hair."

"But ..." Annabeth's voice sounded hurt. "What's wrong with my hair?"

C.C. smiled benevolently. "My dear, you are lovely. Really! But you're not showing off yourself or your talents at all. So much wasted potential!"

"Wasted?"

"Well, surely you're not happy the way you are! My goodness, there's not a single person who is. But don't worry. We can improve anyone here at the spa. Hylla will show you what I mean. You, my dear, need to unlock your true self!"

Annabeth's eyes glowed with longing. Percy had never seen her so much at a loss for words. "But ... what about Percy?"

"Oh, definitely," C.C. said, giving Percy a sad look. "Percy requires my personal attention. He needs much more work than you."

The guinea pigs squealed like they were hungry. "Well ..." Annabeth said. "I suppose ..."

"Right this way, dear," Hylla said. And Annabeth allowed herself to be led away into the waterfall-laced gardens of the spa.

C.C. took Percy's arm and guided him toward the mirrored wall. "You see, Percy ... to unlock your potential, you'll need serious help. The first step is admitting that you're not happy the way you are."

Percy fidgeted in the front of the mirror. He hated thinking about his appearance—like the first zit that had cropped up on his nose at the beginning of the school year, or the fact that his two front teeth weren't perfectly even, or that his hair never stayed down straight. Then, Percy's mind strayed to Gohan. Of course. Percy wasn't going to lie, he felt green with envy sometimes when he looked at Gohan. He was so perfect, wasn't he? With his perfect hair and ripped abs, and that oh-so innocent look. Girls fawned over him like he was candy. And to make things even worse, he was so naïve that he didn't even _know_ that they went nuts over him. Not to mention all that power. Percy honestly wished at times that girls would throw themselves at him like they did with Gohan, instead of just sneering and laughing at him like he was a loser. It was a hard thing to admit… but Percy was jealous of Gohan.

C.C.'s voice brought all of these things to mind, as if she were passing him under a microscope, bringing all of his repressed feelings to the surface. Plus, his clothes were not cool. He knew that. Or at the least, he couldn't pull them off the way Gohan could.

"There, there," C.C. consoled. "How about we try ... this."

She snapped her fingers and a sky-blue curtain rolled down over the mirror. It shimmered like the fabric on her loom.

"What do you see?" C.C. asked.

Percy looked at the blue cloth, not sure what she meant. "I don't—"

Then it changed colors. Percy saw himself—a reflection, but not a reflection. Shimmering there on the cloth was a cooler version of Percy Jackson—with just the right clothes, a confident smile on his face. His teeth were straight. No zits. A perfect tan. More athletic. Maybe a couple of inches taller. It was him, without the faults. Cooler Percy smirked as he held up his hands, which sparked into golden flame.

"Whoa," Percy managed.

"Do you want that?" C.C. asked. "Or shall I try a different—"

"No," Percy said. "That's ... that's amazing. Can you really—"

"I can give you a full makeover," C.C. promised.

"What's the catch?" Percy said. "I have to like ... eat a special diet?"

"Oh, it's quite easy," C.C. said. "Plenty of fresh fruit, a mild exercise program, and of course ... this."

She stepped over to her wet bar and filled a glass with water. Then she ripped open a drink- mix packet and poured in some red powder. The mixture began to glow. When it faded, the drink looked just like a strawberry milk shake.

"One of these, substituted for a regular meal," C.C. said. "I guarantee you'll see results immediately."

"How is that possible?"

She laughed. "Why question it? I mean, don't you want the perfect you right away?" Just then, the window rattled, causing Percy and C.C. to look at it curiously.

That little distraction caused something nagged at the back of Percy's mind. "Why are there no guys at this spa?"

"Oh, but there are," C.C. assured him. "You'll meet them quite soon. Just try the mixture. You'll see."

Percy looked at the blue tapestry, at the reflection of him, but not him.

"Now, Percy," C.C. chided. "The hardest part of the makeover process is giving up control. You have to decide: do you want to trust your judgment about what you should be, or my judgment?"

Percy's throat felt dry. He heard himself say, "Your judgment." C.C. smiled and handed him the glass. He lifted it to his lips.

It tasted just like it looked—like a strawberry milk shake. Almost immediately a warm feeling spread through his gut: pleasant at first, then painfully hot, searing, as if the mixture were coming to a boil inside of him.

Percy doubled over and dropped the cup. "What have you ... what's happening?"

"Don't worry, Percy," C.C. said. "The pain will pass. Look! As I promised. Immediate results."

Something was horribly wrong.

The curtain dropped away, and in the mirror he saw his hands shriveling, curling, growing long delicate claws. Fur sprouted on his face, under his shirt, in every uncomfortable place you can imagine. His teeth felt too heavy in his mouth. His clothes were getting too big, or C.C. was getting too tall—no, Percy was shrinking.

In one awful flash, Percy sank into a cavern of dark cloth. Percy was buried in his own shirt. He tried to run but hands grabbed him—hands as big as he was. Percy tried to scream for help, but all that came out of his mouth was, "Reeet, reeet, reeet!"

The giant hands squeezed him around the middle, lifting him into the air. Percy struggled and kicked with legs and arms that seemed much too stubby, and then he was staring, horrified, into the enormous face of C.C.

"Perfect!" her voice boomed. Percy squirmed in alarm, but she only tightened her grip around his furry belly. "See, Percy? You've unlocked your true self!"

She held him up to the mirror, and what Percy saw made him scream in terror, "Reeet, reeet, reeet!" There was C.C., beautiful and smiling, holding a fluffy, bucktoothed creature with tiny claws and white and orange fur. When he twisted, so did the furry critter in the mirror. Percy was ... he was ...

"A guinea pig," C.C. said. "Lovely, aren't you? Men are pigs, Percy Jackson. I used to turn them into real pigs, but they were so smelly and large and difficult to keep. Not much different than they were before, really. Guinea pigs are much more convenient! Now come, and meet the other men."

"Reeet!" Percy protested, trying to scratch her, but C.C. squeezed him so tight he almost blacked out.

"None of that, little one," she scolded, "or I'll feed you to the owls. Go into the cage like a good little pet. Tomorrow, if you behave, you'll be on your way. There is always a classroom in need of a new guinea pig."

Percy squirmed helplessly as C.C. brought him over to the guinea pig cage and opened the wire door.

"Meet my discipline problems, Percy," she warned. "They'll never make good classroom pets, but they might teach you some manners. Most of them have been in this cage for three hundred years. If you don't want to stay with them permanently, I'd suggest you—" Then, a loud knocking echoed, causing her to freeze.

Annabeth's voice called: "Miss C.C.?"

C.C. cursed in Ancient Greek. She plopped Percy into the cage and closed the door. He squealed and clawed at the bars, but it was no good. Percy watched as C.C. hurriedly kicked his clothes under the loom just as Annabeth came in.

Percy almost didn't recognize her. She was wearing a sleeveless silk dress like C.C.'s, only white. Her blond hair was newly washed and combed and braided with gold. Worst of all, she was wearing makeup, which Percy never thought Annabeth would be caught dead in. She looked good. Really good.

"I'm sorry. I ran into this new arrival on my way here, and brought her to you." C.C. looked confused.

"I see… and Hylla? She's in charge of new arrivals." Annabeth shrugged.

"She had to go to the bathroom." Annabeth stated. Percy wasn't sure why, but Annabeth had sounded a little weird when she had said that.

She looked around the room and frowned. "Where's Percy?" Percy squealed up a storm, but she didn't seem to hear him.

C.C. smiled. "He's having one of our treatments, my dear. Not to worry. You look wonderful! And… this new arrival?" Annabeth nodded

"Yeah. She's right here." Then, a second girl stepped into the room. Well, it looked like a girl at first. It even fooled Percy for a minute. But, when he realized what he was seeing, he wished he could laugh, because he would have fallen, screaming with laughter. The second occupant had long black hair that stopped just below the neck. It was also dressed in the same outfit as Annabeth, and even had makeup on. Percy had to admit, it did look like a very attractive girl at first sight. There were even small bulges on the chest that looked like… well, one got the idea. But, Percy could instantly tell that that was no girl.

"Hi, I'm Trisha!" Gohan said with a smile plastered on his face.


	16. Poll Announcement

Greetings fans! Sorry that this latest chapter is taking so long, it's a very long one! In the meantime, I decided to do something a little fun, for all the shippers out there. I've been asked so much about who Gohan's going to end up with, so I just set up a poll on my profile page, listing all of the different possibilities. If you want, go on and cast a vote! Show me who you want Gohan to end up with! And don't worry, the next chapter will be along very, very soon!


	17. Godly Aid and Crossdressing Infiltration

**2 hours earlier…**

"Owwwww…" Gohan blinked in confusion several times, the world slowly fading back into focus. As he blinked the spots out of his eyes, he was met with the sight of a brilliantly-bright blue sky, and the smell of salt. He groaned as he sat up, his chest throbbing. The pain reminded him of when he used to train with his dad. He also felt a bit hot on his chest and face. He looked down to see a reddish tinge on his chest. Sunburn.

"That stupid thermos. And those stupid monsters! I gotta find Percy and Annabeth!" Gohan shot to his feet, and then let out a yelp as he stumbled.

"What the…" Gohan frowned as he looked down, and then let out a yelp of surprise. He was standing on something very large, with a grey surface. He kneeled down slowly and placed his hand on it. It felt… wet and squishy. Then, the surface rumbled, and the grey surface parted to reveal a massive orange eye.

"Oh." Gohan paled slightly. Ten seconds later, he was shooting into the air, narrowly avoiding a massive pair of razor sharp teeth. Gohan panted as he floated in the air, and looked down just in time to see a massive dorsal fin descend into the deep blue, followed by a massive tail.

"That… was too close!" Gohan then scratched his chin and looked around. He couldn't see anything. It was nothing but blue, as far as he could see.

"This is going to be a problem…" Gohan murmured. Then, a brilliant blue light flared up around him.

"Well… better get started." Gohan shot into the distance. For an hour, he trailed, desperately trying to get some glance of Percy and Annabeth. He had to admit, though, he could tell why this place was called the Sea of Monsters. It was completely different from the oceans back home. The water was a deep green, and it was more… intense in a way. Twice, when he tried to fly closer to the water, he almost got eaten by massive sea creatures. Which were another headache in of itself.

Not to mention, Gohan was starting to lose it. The sea seemed to stretch on forever, with no signs of land anywhere. No matter how fast he flew, it seemed like there was no end to it. The air was humid, and he was sweating a ton. And there was no fresh water anywhere to be found. The seawater was starting to look more and more tempting. But, those survival classes he had taken at Camp Half-Blood had taught him what would happen if he drank seawater. It would only make it worse. Then, an island appeared on the horizon.

"Okay… let's hope this one doesn't have any monsters on it." Gohan shot down towards the island, landing flatly on his feet. The shockwave blew out a gust of wind that made the trees shake around him. Gohan looked around curiously as he wiped the latest burst of sweat from his brow. It looked like he was surrounded by a jungle. Tall trees in every direction, the air thick and humid. He groaned in annoyance as he swatted off several mosquitos. Then, he set off.

"Hello? Anyone home?" Gohan called out as he brushed through the trees. He was met only with the buzzing of mosquitoes. Then, something reached his nose. A smell. A delicious one.

"Is that… food?" Gohan's eyes widened as he quickened his pace. Then, he broke through the trees to find…

"Whoa." Gohan looked around in awe. He was surrounded by ruins. It looked like a massive Greek city. He could tell that much, since the style of the buildings was the same as the ones at Camp Half-Blood. It was nice to know that Annabeth's love of architecture had rubbed off on him. But unlike Camp Half-Blood, these ruins looked like they hadn't been lived in for a very long time. Many of the buildings had half-collapsed, and were covered in a thick layer of green moss. Pillars arched high into the air, many of which were broken and chipped away. But, what really got Gohan's attention was the massive table of food in the courtyard. A pyramid of peanutbutter and jelly, a massive plate of macaroni and chest, white bread and butter, so on and so on… and a massive jug of water.

"Whoa." Gohan breathed as he picked up the jug, and then proceeded to gulp down the massive jug of water in relief.

"Welcome to Scheria." Gohan choked on his water, almost suffocating as he managed to gulp the water down and slam the jug on the table. He whirled to see a massive bonfire in the center of the courtyard, similar to the one at camp. A small cloaked figure was hunched over in front of the fire, facing away from him. It poked the fire with a stick, and causing the flames seemed to glow more richly red than a normal fire.

"H-HEY! Who are you?!" Gohan demanded as his fists glowed. The hooded figure turned to look at him, and Gohan was surprised by what he saw. A little girl. She looked to be around eight years old. Then, he yelped as he remembered he was shirtless and tried to cover his chest.

She had mousy brown hair and a simple brown dress. She wore a scarf over her head so she looked like a pioneer kid. She regarded him with a curious expression. Her red eyes flickered. Gohan realized they weren't just reflecting the flames. They were filled with flames-but not like Ares's eyes. Her eyes were warm and cozy. Kinda like a fire he could sleep in front of.

"Greetings, Otherworlder." She replied calmly as if they were just having a casual conversation.

"Who are you? What is this place?" he asked, still trying to cover himself. She looked amused, before making a small gesture. Gohan then noticed a folded up shirt on the table in front of him, the same as the one that had been destroyed.

"Ummmm… thanks." Gohan pulled the shirt on, The girl looked amused.

"I… am Hestia. Goddess of the Hearth. And the island we are currently on is Scheria. Former home of the Phaeacians. Odysseus stropped here during his travels. The people here welcomed him. Gave him comfort and shelter, the same I am doing for you. Go, eat. Recover your strength. You will need it soon. I assure you, none of it is poisoned." Gohan frowned, but turned towards the food with a grin on his face. But, as he loaded his plate with the macaroni and a delicious, smoking slab of steak, he paused. He wasn't sure why he did what he did next, but he walked to the fire with his plate. Then, with extreme reluctance be scraped part of his meal into the flames, the way they did at camp. "For the gods," Gohan said, desperately trying not to cry.

The little girl smiled. "Thank you. As tender of the flame, I get a share of every sacrifice, you know."

"You could just eat the food yourself, you know." Gohan commented before stuffing his face. She chuckled.

"I could, if I so desired. But… I prefer it this way." He polished off the macaroni and inhaled a sandwich.

"You're the first god I've met who hasn't tried to threaten or kill me in some way." She chuckled at that.

"Forgive my brethren, they can be a little…intolerable at times." Gohan snorted.

"That's an understatement." The sky seemed to rumble at that. Hestia smiled.

"We can get a bit… testy with Otherworlders."

"But why? Could you please tell me that? Everyone else seems to skirt around the issue." Hestia shrugged as she prodded the fire again.

"They represent the unknown. Unpredictable. Not even the Fates can weave an Otherworlder's fate. No loyalties, no alliances. As you can imagine, someone like that can be extremely… deadly. With the Great Prophecy in play, many of the gods are concerned about what role you are destined to play-"

"Prophecy? What prophecy?" Hestia shook her head.

"It is not my place to tell you. You must find it out for yourself. One day." Gohan groaned out loud as he finished the last of the food.

"I have had it up to here with all these gods!" Hesita chuckled as she prodded the fire.

"I imagine it's different where you come from." Gohan shook his head.

"Very different." Hestia rose, clutching the stick she had used to prod the fire. It was still burning at the end, a deep red.

"I must go. I have provided all that I can. Travel southeast from here, that is where you will find your companions. Take this stick and follow the flame, it will act as your guide." Gohan frowned as he wiped his mouth and took the stick from Hestia. Then, he yelped at the warm tingle in his fingers. The flame seemed to bend, pointing to the left like an arrow.

"Cooolll…" Gohan spun in a circle, observing that the flame acted like a compass, always focused in the same direction.

"Beware Circe." Gohan looked at Hestia in confusion.

"What?" He asked, baffled.

"Circe. The master of the island your companions are on. Beware of her. She is a powerful sorceress. Her magic is dangerous. She will unearth your darkest demons, manifest them, and turn them against you. She will play on your insecurities, and try to deceive you. She cannot be beaten by normal means." Gohan frowned.

"Then… how do I beat her?"

"Hermes has already provided that solution."

"Why me? Why are you helping me?" Hestia smiled.

"I am the Goddess of the Hearth. I offer shelter to all those who require it. Not all of us require ulterior motives. I would have helped you anyway, regardless of a request." Gohan cocked his head in confusion.

"Wait, what? Someone sent you?" Hestia was already beginning to glow, and simply smirked. Gohan quickly averted his eyes, just as a bright flash filled the air. When the light faded, Gohan found himself in an empty courtyard, the table vanished. Gohan frowned as he looked at the burning stick in his hands.

"Better get moving." Then, he shot into the air, leaving the island into the distance. He cradled the fire, making sure to keep the flame aimed in front of him. After about fifteen minutes of straight flying, another island came into view. This one was a bright green, which was also covered in specks of white and blue. As Gohan got closer, the stick in his hands sparked, and then burst into ash.

"Okay… I guess this is it." When Gohan was about fifty meters away from the island, he plummeted downwards until he was floating a foot above the water, and then slowly drifted towards the island. He sprang on the grass and took a deep breath as Ascension sprang out in his hand. He clenched his other fist, which glowed yellow.

"I'm coming!" Gohan dashed up the side, and then dove behind a large pillar just as two girls walked down the path next to the pillar, laughing. Once they were gone, Gohan continued. He had to admit, this place was pretty cool. It was like one of those resorts he saw on TV, but even better. Dancing water sprays, pools, water slides, and lazy animals. But the spas were the most intriguing. Girls basked on chairs, getting massages and manicures. On first glance, it looked like a great place. But, he stayed on edge, Hestia's warning still ringing in his ears. Then, as he crept towards the tallest buildings, an incredible sound reached his ears: singing. It was one of the most amazing things he had ever heard. It was so mesmerizing that Gohan stopped cold. He wasn't sure how long he listened before sharp pain snapped out of his daze. He yelped in pain as he looked backwards, and gaped to see his tail wiggling behind him. Somehow, it had subconsciously unwrapped itself and slapped Gohan. He shook his head and put Ascension on his back, before shooting up the side of the building. He stopped just short of a large window and grabbed the ledge, pulling himself up just close enough to hear and get a small glimpse inside. Now that he was close, he could see Percy standing next to a very pretty woman, who was guiding him in front of a large mirror. Annabeth was nowhere to be seen.

"How about we try ... this." The woman was talking to Percy. Gohan had a funny feeling that this was the Circe Hestia had warned him about.

She snapped her fingers and a sky-blue curtain rolled down over the mirror. It shimmered like the fabric on her loom.

"What do you see?" C.C. asked. Gohan couldn't tell from his angle, but Percy looked mesmerized.

"Come on, Percy, snap out of it!" Gohan hissed. But, Percy looked enthralled.

"Whoa," Percy managed.

"Do you want that?" C.C. asked. "Or shall I try a different—"

"No," Percy said. "That's ... that's amazing. Can you really—" Gohan snarled in frustration.

"I can give you a full makeover," C.C. promised.

"What's the catch?" Percy said. "I have to like ... eat a special diet?"

"Oh, it's quite easy," C.C. said. "Plenty of fresh fruit, a mild exercise program, and of course ... this." From Gohan's angle, she was working at the bar, mixing something together. When Gohan could see her again, she was holding a red drink.

"One of these, substituted for a regular meal," C.C. said. "I guarantee you'll see results immediately."

"How is that possible?"

She laughed. "Why question it? I mean, don't you want the perfect you right away?" Gohan snarled in frustration. He wanted nothing more than to rush right in, but he didn't want to take a chance with this lady. Not until he got whatever it was he needed to resist her. Still, he had to do something. So, he slammed his fist into the bottom of the window, causing it to rattle. It seemed to work, causing Percy and Circe to stare at the window in confusion. Percy seemed to get some sense back, at least.

"Why are there no guys at this spa?"

"Oh, but there are," C.C. assured him. "You'll meet them quite soon. Just try the mixture. You'll see."

Percy looked at the blue tapestry.

"Now, Percy," C.C. chided. "The hardest part of the makeover process is giving up control. You have to decide: do you want to trust your judgment about what you should be, or my judgment?" Gohan cursed angrily.

"Come on, Percy! You're smarter than this!" Gohan cursed. But, Percy had a small smile on his face.

"Your judgment." C.C. smiled and handed him the glass. He lifted it to his lips. Gohan snarled in frustration. But it got much worse.

Percy doubled over and dropped the cup. Then, Gohan watched in horror as Percy crumpled over and collapsed, shrinking until there was nothing but a pile of clothes left. Then, C.C. grinned as she pulled out a squealing guinea pig. Gohan gaped in horror, before quickly dropping down.

He had to find Annabeth. Fast! Gohan's mind faced. His first instinct was to smash his way in there and jump Circe before she could attack him. But, part of him screamed not to. Gohan wasn't sure why he was waiting. After all, magic didn't really work on him. Still, one thing was clear. He had to infiltrate this place, find Annabeth, and save Percy. One problem: he was a guy. And only girls could be here safely… Gohan was snapped out of his musing by the sounds of chatting behind him. He looked down to see two girls walking up the path beneath him. One was white, with long blonde hair. The other girl was taller. Her skin was much darker, with glossy black hair worn in a single braid down her back. Both of the girls were dressed in the same white, sleek Greek dress that the all other girls seemed to be wearing. As he watched, the two girls split up. The blonde one strolled towards the pools, which the other one continued heading upwards towards the same building Gohan was dangling off of. Gohan's mind raced like a bullet, quickly formulating a plan. A crazy one, but…

"Sorry miss." Gohan apologized. Then, he pushed off the building. He shot towards her, his feet thrust out. His plan had been to quickly knock her out. But… the girl suddenly dove, causing Gohan to fly over her and slam into the ground. He whirled with Ascension in his hand, just in time to catch a shimmeing gold sword. The girl snarled with realization.

"You're a boy! What are you doing here?" She backed up and lunged. But, Gohan simply pivoted and caught her blade.

"Look…" Gohan paused as he looked at the girl's name tag.

"Reyna, is it?" she snarled.

"Look, I'm in a bit of a rush. I really don't like fighting girls, but my friends are in trouble, so…" Ascension sparked, causing blue electric sparks to dance up his blade and onto Reyna's, causing her to cry out and let go of her sword, which clattered to the ground.

"I'm gonna need your clothes." Then, he slugged her right across the face, causing her to crumple to the ground, unconscious.

"Oh dear." Gohan slung her over his shoulder and quickly snuck around the side building, until he was facing the ocean. About five minutes later, he stepped back out, shifting uncomfortable in the long dress.

"Man, this is awkward in the crotch…" Gohan muttered.

"Sorry." Gohan waved at Reyna, who screamed behind her muffled gag and struggled to break free. Gohan shifted nervously. He really didn't;t want to leave her tied up in her underwear. So, he picked up the towel she had been hoiding and draped it over her.

"Sorry, sorry." Reyna let out another screech of rage. Then, Gohan left and headed for the building. Unfortunately, Gohan had no idea how badly his actions that day would come back to bite him, years down the line...

Gohan shook his long hair loose, which faintly looked like a girl's. He really needed to cut it sometime. He supposed he did look like a girl from a distance. But it wasn't going to fool anybody for long. He ducked into the building, and quickly darted through the hallways, keeping his head tucked down enough so that none of the girls he walked by noticed that he wasn't what he appeared to be. He was starting to get frustrated after three minutes, which felt like a lifetime. Then, he finally heard Annabeth's voice.

"This library is amazing!" Gohan shook his head. Of course. Annabeth would get enthralled by a library.

"Of course, dear. One of our many attractions here." Gohan ducked just as Annabeth's voice got louder. Gohan got a faint glimpse of her as she walked towards him, flanked by a girl in a business suit and two other girls in the same dress he was in. Then, Gohan dived out, facing the startled group.

"Wha?" Annabeth stammered.

"Who are-" Gohan dashed out and swung, slamming the first girl into the wall, before ducking and kicking the second girl in the stomach, sending her flying into the opposite wall. She groaned as she slumped to the ground. Gohan whirled to face the last girl, the business suit one. She snarled as she pulled out a shimmering gold knife.

"Okay then…" Gohan vanished. Then, he reappeared, his fist buried in her stomach. She gasped as she stumbled back several feet. Gohan then reappeared behind her, slamming his hand into her neck. She gasped as she stumbled, and then fully crashed onto the ground.

"Annabeth, are you… woooowwwww." Gohan's jaw dropped. Annabeth was… gorgeous. She was wearing a sleeveless silk dress like everyone else's. Her blond hair was newly washed and combed and braided with gold. She was wearing makeup. She looked good. _Really_ good. Gohan was tongue tied.

"Gohan… is that you?" Annabeth gaped as she looked at Gohan's dress. Gohan groaned. Annabeth grinned, before bursting into snickers.

"Oh my gods! You look ridiculous! You're in a dress!" she giggled, another unAnnabeth thing ever.

"Yes. I'm here to help you and Percy. I have a warning. We need to get off this island, we're all in danger. Circe just turned Percy into a… a… fuzzy animal!" Annabeth blinked as she looked at Gohan curiously.

"What did you just say?" Gohan repeated it in frustration

"Circe? C.C… oh my gods!" Annabeth gasped in realization.

"There we go." Annabeth groaned.

"I'm such an idiot! I can't believe I didn't see it sooner!" Gohan gripped Annabeth's arm.

"Annabeth, we need to save Percy. I was told Hermes gave us what we need." Annabeth had a confused look on her face for a second, the gears clearly turning in her head. Then, she lit up.

"The vitamins! The vitamins will make us immune to her magic. All we have to do is eat one." Gohan smirked.

"Wait… where are they?" he asked

"Percy has them."

"Then let's go!" Annabeth grabbed his arm.

"Wait. You look idiotic. I can't believe you made it as far as you did without anyone figuring it out. Hang on…" Annabeth bent over Hylla and rummaged through her pockets. A minute later, she pulled out a small black box.

"Make-up kit. Stay still." She grinned as she began working on Gohan's face. Five minutes later, she stepped back with a grin.

"All finished! You look great… Trisha." Gohan frowned.

"Really? How about Stacy? Silena?" Annabeth snorted.

"You'll be playing for two minutes. Don't go nuts. Now come on, let's go. We've got a sorceress to outsmart."


	18. Ending things with a Bang

Circe looked a little baffled at first, but she quickly recomposed herself. "So dear, what did you think of your tour?" Circe asked

Annabeth's eyes brightened. "Your library is amazing!" Gohan had to marvel at Annabeth's acting skills. His face itched like crazy, and he fought every urge possible to scratch.

"Yes, indeed," C.C. said, "The best knowledge of the past three millennia. Anything you want to study, anything you want to be, my dear. And…" Gohan giggled again in his high-pitched voice.

"Trisha. Trisha Dawkins. I was trying to sail across the Atlantic, but I got caught in the storm! Thank gods I washed up here!" Circe frowned.

"You are… different. There is something… strange about you." Gohan glanced past Circe, glimpsing Percy's clothes beneath the large table. His eyes fell on the cage of guiena pigs, which were squealing up a storm. His tail carefully tapped Annabeth in the back. Thank gods, she understood. She stepped forward in front of Gohan, and faced Circe with a big grin plastered on her face. Gohan carefully began inching to the right, out of Circe's view while she focused on Annabeth.

"I can't believe how incredible all of this is! So much information!" Circe beamed, distracted once again.

Yes, indeed," Circe said, "The best knowledge of the past three millennia. Anything you want to study, anything you want to be, my dear."

"An architect?"

"An architect?" "Pah!" Circe said. "You, my dear, have the makings of a sorceress. Like me." Annabeth took a step back. "A sorceress?"

"Yes, my dear." Circe held up her hand. A flame appeared in her palm and danced across her fingertips. "My mother is Hecate, the goddess of magic. I know a daughter of Athena when I see one. We are not so different, you and I. We both seek knowledge. We both admire greatness. Neither of us needs to stand in the shadow of men." Gohan took a deep breath, and executed the next part of their plan. His body shimmered for the briefest instant. Circe frowned, but as far as she could tell, Gohan/Trisha was still smiling at her and standing next to Annabeth. But, it was actually an afterimage. The real Gohan was hanging on the ceiling, his fists dug into the ceiling. He slowly crawled across the ceiling, nearing the cage of pets. He could now see Percy's pants sticking out from beneath the table of pets. They squealed loudly at the sight of him, but Circe didn't take notice. Probably because they squealed a lot.

"I—I don't understand." Gohan reached the spot over the table and flipped over, floating upside down as he slowly floated downwards, his hands stretched out.

"Stay with me," Circe told Annabeth. "Study with me. You can join our staff, become a sorceress, learn to bend others to your will. You will become immortal!"

"But—"

"You are too intelligent, my dear," Circe said. "You know better than to trust that silly camp for heroes. How many great female half-blood heroes can you name?"

"Um, Atalanta, Amelia Earhart—"

"Bah! Men get all the glory." Circe closed her fist and extinguished the magic flame. "The only way to power for women is sorcery. Medea, Calypso, now there were powerful women! And me, of course. The greatest of all…" Circe paused, and her face stretched with a large smile.

"Do you truly think me a fool? That I can be outsmarted by the likes of YOU?!" she whirled and hurled a ball of fire right at Gohan, who yelled in surprise as he thrust his hands out in front of him, snuffing the fire, but hurling himself into the window, which cracked as he crashed onto the ground. The afterimage of Gohan shimmered and vanished. The Guinea pigs squealed even more, with a bright orange one scratching at the bars. Then, ropes flew out of Circe's hand and wrapped themselves around Gohan, who grunted in surprise.

"This is on you, Percy." Gohan grumbled. Annabeth raced to grab her knife, but Circe held up a large flaming ball in her other hand.

"Not so fast, sweetie." Annabeth snarled, but lowered her hand. She traded a looked with Gohan, who subtly nodded.

"Did you really think you and your little friend here could outsmart me? I have lived for eons, and outsmarted dozens of heroes. Furthermore, that is the WORSE disguise I have ever seen. Even if your male friend here does have a woman's face. And can cast quite an impressive illusion." Gohan looked insulted and a bit complimented.

"I will concur with you on that one." Annabeth nodded.

"Hey!"

"Now, what have you done to Percy? Where is he?"

"I only helped him realize his true form. As I will soon do with your friend here."

Annabeth scanned the room. Finally she saw the cage, and Percy scratching at the bars, all the other guinea pigs crowding around me. Her eyes went wide.

"Forget these boys," Circe said. "Join me and learn the ways of sorcery." "But—"

"Your friend will be well cared for. He'll be shipped to a wonderful new home on the mainland. The kindergartners will adore him. This one will become a statue. I'll mount him up in the courtyard. He is rather attractive. Meanwhile, you will be wise and powerful. You will have all you ever wanted."

Annabeth was still staring at Gohan, but she had a dreamy expression on her face. His tail twitched as it slid into Percy's pants pocket and rummaged around, until his tail hit the bottle of vitamins. A smile grew on his face as his tail wrapped around the vial.

"Keep stalling." He mouthed to Annabeth. Thank gods, she could read lips.

"Well, why should I? What benefit does it bring me? After all, it seems we easily beat up the people who work for you. If anything, seems like being a sorceress only makes one weaker. If you focus too much one magic, you completely fail in the physical side." Circe looked insulted.

"With the magic I offer, dear, you won't need to be physically strong." Gohan's tail pulled back with the vial of vitamins in his pocket. He pushed it into his hands. Gohan smirked as he flexed, enough to loosen the bonds significantly. He then grabbed the top and uncorked it, tilting it to the side enough that one tumbled into his palm. An orange Apollo one. He pressed it onto the top of his tail, which angled it up to his mouth. He titled his head back, enough to send the vitamin tumbling into his mouth.

" _Yummy!"_ he thought with a grin. He didn't feel any different. Still… he wrapped his tail around the vial again as he lifted it. Since he really didn't practice working with his tail that often, this was, at least partially, going to be a shot of pure luck. Plus, he was working extra hard to keep his mind clear. Hestia's warning still rang in his head, about Circe being able to conjure his inner demons. And… well, he did not need THAT at this particular moment. He nodded at Annabeth, who understood. She smirked at Circe.

"Well, I'm still not convinced." Circe snarled.

"I am done, you little brat. Now then, what will Annabeth's makeover be?" Circe mused. "Something small and ill-tempered. I know ... a shrew!" Gohan smirked.

"Not today!" He interrupted as he blasted out his ki energy as he flexed, ripping the ropes off. He hurled the vial with his tail, sending it arching through the air. In the same instance, Annabeth ducked and swung her left leg out in a low sweep, knocking Circe off her feet. She screeched as she crashed on her back. Annabeth held up her hand, sending the vial flying cleanly into her hand. She quickly ripped the top off and popped a minotaur vitamin into her mouth. Circe stared in Gohan in disbelief.

"Impossible… how…" Gohan smirked.

"That's how we Otherworlders do it!" A look of horror passed over Circe's face.

"You're an… I should have seen it sooner." She cursed. Annabeth ran past her to the cage.

"Okay, now which one is you?" all the pigs squealed, not helping the situation. Circe rose, her eyes blazing with rage.

"Curse you!" Blue fire coiled from her fingers curling like serpents around Gohan. Nothing happened.

Circe howled in frustration. "Curse Hermes and his multivitamins! Those are such a fad! They do nothing for you."

"Turn Percy back to a human or else!" Annabeth yelled.

"I can't!"

"Then you asked for it!" Gohan roared as his fists glowed. Then… he punched Circe across the face. Annabeth gaped as Circe howled, staggering back as she cupped her nose. Golden ichtor dripped from her nose as her eyes blazed with rage.

"You dare? YOU DAR- AH!" Gohan punched her agin, this time in the stomach. She crumpled in pain, gasping as she clutched the side of a table. Gohan then grabbed her by the shirt and hurled her into the loom, which shattered. She groaned as she struggled to sit up, covered in rubble

"Had enough?" Circe hissed with rage as she glared at Gohan.

"So much rage. So much anger. You have monsters inside you, don't you?" A large smile crept across Circe's face as mist began pouring from her hands, covering the floor. Gohan snarled as he advanced on her.

Annabeth was too occupied with the cage to take notice. Finally giving up in frustration, she knocked the top off, and poured the rest of the vitamins inside.

"No!" Circe screamed as her hands glowed. She hurled a bright green blast of fire at the same instant as Gohan fired a yellow ki blast. The two met in the center of the room, pushing against each other. Behind him, the cage exploded.

Percy was sitting on the floor, a human again—somehow back in his regular clothes, thank the gods—with six other guys who all looked disoriented, blinking and shaking wood shavings out of their hair.

"No!" Circe screamed as she continued to clash against Gohan. "You don't understand! Those are the worst!"

One of the men stood up—a huge guy with a long tangled pitch-black beard and teeth the same color. He wore mismatched clothes of wool and leather, knee-length boots, and a floppy felt hat. The other men were dressed more simply—in breeches and stained white shirts. All of them were barefoot.

"Argggh!" bellowed the big man. "What's the witch done t'me!" "No!" Circe moaned. Annabeth gasped. "I recognize you! Edward Teach, son of Ares?"

"Aye, lass," the big man growled. "Though most call me Blackbeard! And there's the sorceress what captured us, lads. Run her through, and then I mean to find me a big bowl of celery! Arggggh!" Gohan grunted as he intensified the beam. The two beams shimmered even more intensely, and began to pulsate.

"HIT THE DECK!" Then, the beams exploded, sending out a shock wave that blasted Percy, Annabeth, and Gohan out the window. Annabeth screamed as she plummeted through the air. But, Gohan quickly regained his senses and grabbed Percy and Annabeth, crashing to the ground with a loud thud. Annabeth gasped as she stumbled away from Gohan and took several deep breaths, trying to regain her momentum.

"Thanks, Gohan." She panted as she wiped her forehead. Percy looked relieved.

"Thanks, man, I owe you one… why are you in a dress? And make-up?" Gohan groaned as he looked over himself. Then, he grabbed the dress and ripped it off, revealing his Camp Half-Blood clothes beneath it. Then, he glared at Percy.

"Thanks ..." Percy faltered. "I'm really sorry—" Gohan wacked him upside the head.

"What is WRONG with you? How do you keep getting tricked by all of these monsters?!" Percy groaned as he rubbed the back of his head.

"I hate to interrupt a well deserved lesson, but we need to get off this island now. She smirked at Percy.

"I'm glad you're not a guinea pig."

"Me, too." Percy hoped his face wasn't as red as it felt. She undid the golden braids in her hair. "Come on, Seaweed Brain and Muscle-Head," she said. "We have to get away while Circe's distracted." Gohan smirked.

"You haven't called me that in ages."

"Shut up."

They ran down the hillside through the terraces, past screaming spa workers and pirates ransacking the resort. They had clearly survived the blast. Blackbeard's men broke the tiki torches for the luau, threw herbal wraps into the swimming pool, and kicked over tables of sauna towels.

"Which ship?" Annabeth said as they reached the docks.

"I can fly us!" Annabeth shook her head.

"We can't do that. You'd tire yourself out way too fast."

"There," Percy said.

Annabeth blinked. "But—" "I can make it work." "How?" Gohan asked

Percy grabbed Annabeth's hand and pulled her toward the three-mast ship. Painted on its prow was the name that Percy would only decipher later: Queen Anne's Revenge.

"Argggh!" Blackbeard yelled somewhere behind them. "Those scalawags are a-boarding me vessel! Get 'em, lads!" Gohan whirled, his fists glowing. He hurled a ki blast, blowing up a plume of smoke. The pirates roared in rage and confusion.

"We'll never get going in time!" Annabeth yelled as they climbed aboard.

Percy closed his eyes and concentrated on the waves lapping against the hull, the ocean currents, the winds all around him. Suddenly, the right word appeared in his mind. "Mizzenmast!" Percy yelled.

Annabeth and Gohan looked at him like he was nuts, but in the next second, the air was filled with whistling sounds of ropes being snapped taut, canvases unfurling, and wooden pulleys creaking.

"Whoa!" Gohan yelled as he leaped over a beam.

Annabeth ducked as a cable flew over her head and wrapped itself around the bowsprit. "Percy, how ..."

The Queen Anne's Revenge lurched away from the dock, and by the time the pirates arrived at the water's edge, they were already underway, sailing into the Sea of Monsters.


	19. Worst Concert Ever

Percy had finally found something he was really good at.

The Queen Anne's Revenge responded to his every command. He knew which ropes to hoist, which sails to raise, which direction to steer. They plowed through the waves at what he figured was about ten knots. Percy even understood how fast that was. For a sailing ship, pretty darn fast.

It all felt perfect—the wind in his face, the waves breaking over the prow.

"OW!" Percy was snapped out of his daze by a cry of pain, which he realized was Gohan's voice. He rushed off the prow and headed below deck.

"Stay still!" he heard Annabeth's voice order. She was answered by angry grumbling. Percy reached below deck to see Gohan sitting in front of Annabeth, with her dabbing at his face with a wet towel. He let out another snarl.

"That stings!" Gohan cursed angrily.

"Well, sorry! Quit being such a baby! It's only a little make-up!" Gohan snarled as he clenched the sides of the chair as she brushed over his face, wiping away a large swath of the make-up, which she washed out in a bucket next to the stool.

"Look, we all got a bit sliced up when we went through the window. Just thank the gods none of us were that injured. But I need to get this make up off before it mixes with your cuts and becomes infected. Last thing we need is our biggest gun under the weather." She wiped off another large swath of make-up. Percy chuckled.

"Plus, you looked ridiculous." Annabeth whacked Percy upside the head. He cursed angrily as he held his throbbing head.

"What was that for?" She glared at him. Gohan snickered.

"He only dressed up like that to save your sorry gerbil butt! I think a little thank you is in order!" she snarled. Percy swallowed nervously as he looked at Gohan, who was grinning.

To be blunt, Percy still couldn't get over how badly he'd messed up on Circe's Island. If it hadn't been for Annabeth and Gohan, he'd still be a rodent, hiding in a hutch with a bunch of cute furry pirates.

Percy still felt changed. Not just because he had a sudden desire to eat lettuce. He felt jumpy, like the instinct to be a scared little animal was now a part of him. Or maybe it had always been there. That's what really worried him. Still…

"Look, Gohan… sorry you had to go through so much trouble because of me." Gohan shrugged.

"It's no big deal." Percy sighed as he wringed his hands together. Gohan's next words were muffled, because Annabeth had draped the towel over his face and started scrubbing.

"And… done!" she beamed as she pulled the towel off. Then, she smiled nervously. The make-up was gone, but now, Gohan's hair was a mess.

"What?" Gohan asked. Annabeth shrugged.

"You look fine. We just need to get a comb." Percy was still anxious.

"L-look. Can we be alone, Annabeth? Me and Gohan?" Percy asked nervously, fidgeting where he stood. Annabeth snorted in amusement.

"Whatever. I have to bandage my arm anyway. And change out of this stupid dress! I feel ridiculous!" She pressed the small cut on her arm and winched. She whirled and strode up the stairs.

"Boys!" they heard her curse. Then, the two boys were left alone, sitting in the swaying cargo hold.

"That was really silly of you. The way she just whammied you like that." Percy snorted in embarrassment.

"I seem to recall that you got tricked by a few monsters yourself when we first started out!" Gohan shrugged.

"I learned." Percy groaned in exasperation.

"Look… I'm…" Percy fought over the words.

"Sorry?"

"No! Jealous! Of you!" Percy exploded, causing Gohan to stare at him in surprise.

"That was what she showed me. Me. Cool, handsome, slick. I was better in every way. More like… you." Gohan cocked his head in confusion.

"You're… jealous. Of me."

"Do you really not see the way girls look at you? The way Annabeth and almost every other girl and camp looks and acts around you? Drew almost took her shirt off just to get your attention!"

"But I don't ask them to act like that. I don't care about who I am, and neither should you." Percy snorted.

"That's easy for you to say. Maybe in your world, these kinds of things don't matter. But I'm tired of being laughed and teased at! Being everyone's punching bag! I want girls to look at me the way they look at you! I wish I could toss gods around the way you do! I wish I could down a five course meal without a problem and still have plenty of room! I wish-"

"You could be homeless?" Percy was silent.

"You spent your childhood watching your friends die over and over again? To nearly be killed by monsters that you could barely imagine in your worse dreams? Percy, do you think I want to eat the way I do?! I know how people look at me when I do it! But I have no choice! Do you know how much energy I burn every time I use my powers? It's not a walk in the park, Percy!" Both boys then just sat there, feeling the ship rock beneath them.

"Look… I'm sorry. I guess I sound like a selfish jerk." Gohan shrugged.

"Honestly? I really don't care about this kinda stuff. All I want is to help you guys save Grover and Camp. We really shouldn't let this petty stuff get in the way, should it?" Percy was silent.

"I hope this ship has food." Gohan grinned as he walked past Percy, leaving him sullen.

They sailed through the night. In order to keep themselves from exhaustion, they all agreed to take equally timed shifts. Though, Annabeth didn't take sailing as well as Gohan and Percy did. Since Annabeth had left them earlier, she had changed back into her Camp clothes(much to the boys' mutual disappointment) and washed off Circe's makeup. Her upper right arm was bandaged, though she quickly assured them that it was nothing serious, just a small cut from falling out the window. After a few hours rocking back and forth, her face turned the color of guacamole and she went below to lie in a hammock.

In turns, Percy and Gohan watched the horizon. More than once, they spotted monsters. A plume of water as tall as a skyscraper spewed into the moonlight. A row of green spines slithered across the waves— something maybe a hundred feet long, reptilian. I didn't really want to know.

On one of his shifts, Percy saw Nereids, the glowing lady spirits of the sea. He tried to wave at them, but they disappeared into the depths, leaving him unsure whether they'd seen him or not.

Sometime after midnight, Annabeth came up on deck. The three of them were just passing a smoking volcano island. The sea bubbled and steamed around the shore.

"One of the forges of Hephaestus," Annabeth said. "Where he makes his metal monsters."

"Like the bronze bulls?"

She nodded. "Go around. Far around."

They steered clear of the island, and soon it was just a red patch of haze behind them.

Percy looked at Annabeth. "The reason you hate Cyclopes so much ... the story about how Thalia really died. What happened?"

It was hard to see her expression in the dark.

"I guess you guys deserve to know," she said finally. "The night Grover was escorting us to camp, he got confused, took some wrong turns. You remember he told you that once?"

Percy nodded.

"Well, the worst wrong turn was into a Cyclops's lair in Brooklyn." "They've got Cyclopes in Brooklyn?" Gohan asked.

"You wouldn't believe how many, but that's not the point. This Cyclops, he tricked us. He managed to split us up inside this maze of corridors in an old house in Flatbush. And he could sound like anyone, Percy. Just the way Tyson did aboard the Princess Andromeda. He lured us, one at a time. Thalia thought she was running to save Luke. Luke thought he heard me scream for help. And me ... I was alone in the dark. I was seven years old. I couldn't even find the exit."

She brushed the hair out of her face. "I remember finding the main room. There were bones all over the floor. And there were Thalia and Luke and Grover, tied up and gagged, hanging from the ceiling like smoked hams. The Cyclops was starting a fire in the middle of the floor. I drew my knife, but he heard me. He turned and smiled. He spoke, and somehow he knew my dad's voice. I guess he just plucked it out of my mind. He said, 'Now, Annabeth, don't you worry. I love you. You can stay here with me. You can stay forever.'"

"What did you do?" Gohan asked

"I stabbed him in the foot." Gohan let out a low whistle of surprise, while Percy stared at her. "Are you kidding? You were seven years old and you stabbed a grown Cyclops in the foot?"

"Oh, he would've killed me. But I surprised him. It gave me just enough time to run to Thalia and cut the ropes on her hands. She took it from there."

"Yeah, but still ... that was pretty brave, Annabeth."

She shook her head. "We barely got out alive. I still have nightmares. The way that Cyclops talked in my father's voice. It was his fault we took so long getting to camp. All the monsters who'd been chasing us had time to catch up. That's really why Thalia died. If it hadn't been for that Cyclops, she'd still be alive today."

They sat on the deck, watching the Hercules constellation rise in the night sky.

"That still didn't give you the right to judge Tyson the way you did." Percy was shocked by Gohan's boldness. Annabeth gritted her teeth.

"Look, you don't-"

"I do. Annabeth, what do you think of saiyans?" Percy and Annabeth had both been filled in on the history of Gohan's race.

"It's not the sa-" Gohan held up a hand, and continued

"You guys like me now, but what if you had met my uncle Raditz first, or Vegeta and Nappa? They were vicious monsters when I first met them, wiping out entire cities and killing without hesitation. If you had met and fought them before you met me, would you have treated the same back when we first met? Or would you have stabbed me with that knife just to be safe?" Percy and Annabeth were shocked into silence by Gohan's words. Or rather, the truth of them.

"You look tired, Percy." Gohan finally said. Annabeth quickly chimed in.

"Go below," Annabeth told Percy. "You need some rest." He sighed as he rubbed his eyes and descended below. Gohan let out a deep breath as he laid next to Annabeth and looked up at the stars.

"The sky sure is pretty tonight."

"It is."

"It's so different here then when you're actually traveling through space. It was all a blur, but so vast out there at the same time. Just, majestic."

Silence.

"I'm sorry about what I said. I was just…"

"Trying to prove a point. Yeah, I got it. This is one of the things I like about you, Gohan. You're not afraid to speak your mind. It's cute and annoying at the same time." Gohan chuckled.

"Neither are you, Annabeth. You're always so smart, and you always plan things out. I just rush in most of the time and make things up as I go." Annabeth chuckled.

"You have ruined a few of my plans with that thick head of yours. But… you've saved my butt plenty of times. So, thanks for that, muscle-head." Gohan smiled.

"I always protect my friends."

"One of the many things we have in common, it seems." Gohan smiled as he took in all the beautiful stars. He almost wished he could stretch his moment forever. Just him and Annabeth, lying next to each other, starting up at the stars. No monsters, no sorceresses, no gods… just peace and quiet, with a good friend. But, sitting out there… he knew that he had to tell Annabeth the truth about Athena.

"Annabeth… I have to tell you about something." Then, he pulled the silver owl pendent out of his pocked and dropped it into her hand. Annabeth sat up, staring at the owl pendent.

"This is… Athena's symbol. Where did you…"

"Six months ago, I bumped into your mother. That stuff you heard about in Pheonix and Washington DC. She helped me out, but she gave me a warning. She told me to stay away from you." Annabeth went still.

"Did she?" she asked in a highly pitched voice.

"Yeah. She said that I would bring you nothing but pain and suffering, and that I should stay away from you." Annabeth was silent, but slowly stood up, still clutching the owl pendent.

"I figured you deserved to know." Annabeth nodded slowly. Then, she roared as she hurled the pendent over the side of the ship, where it landed in the water with a loud splash.

"Don't tell me who I can and can't be with, mom! My friends, my choice! STAY OUT OF IT!" she roared at the sky, which seemed to rumble slightly. Gohan looked nervous.

"I didn't want any toubl-"

"You didn't. Thank you for telling me."

"But… her warning…" Gohan was cut off by Annabeth laughing.

"Uhhh… why are you laughing?" Annabeth burst into giggles as she covered her mouth, shaking. After about five minutes, she finally got it under control.

"Seriously? I'm a demigod, Gohan! All our life stories are pain and suffering! How is that any different from the countless demigods before me?" Gohan was left silent as Annabeth plopped down next to him, still laughing.

"So…" "Just ignore her. Mom's more… interfering than most of the other gods. Most of the time, that's a good thing. I wouldn't have survived on my own so long without her. But, she can be a bit nagging at times."

"You think she sent Hestia?" Annabeth shrugged.

"Maybe. Who knows? Mom's always been the more… diligent of the gods." Annabeth sighed as she laid back, looking at the stars. Gohan smiled.

"Well, it's just nice to put all that behind us, even for a minute." Annabeth nodded.

"Yeah, it is." Gohan wasn't sure how long the two of them laid there. But, the next thing he knew, he was blinking sunlight out of his eyes. He groaned as he rubbed his eyes. He must have passed out. A weight on his chest made him sit up and look down. He choked insurprise. Annabeth was snuggled up next to him, her head resting on his stomach, her hair splayed out. She must have rolled on him while they were sleeping, and just stayed there. She looked so peaceful as she slept, like one of those princesses from the Disney movies. Gohan wasn't sure how long he sat there watching, but he knew he had to wake her up. So, he reluctantly poked her.

"Ummm… Annabeth? You might wanna wake up." It took several pokes before she finally woke up. She let out a loud groan as she stretched, blinking groggily as she looked up at Gohan, and froze.

"Umm… hi." She stared at him in disbelief, before quickly realizing where she was. She let out a yelp of surprise as she shot up and fell on her butt, her face extremely red.

"Oh gods, did I…"

"Snuggle? I guess. I woke up, and you were like that." Annabeth let out a loud groan as she covered her face.

"Oh gods…"

"You were comfy." She turned even more red, if that was even more possible. But then, a look of surprise came over her face.

"Wait, are we… I need to wake up Percy!" She raced past him, into the depths of the ship. About five minutes later, she burst out with Percy behind her.

"Um… can you please tell me what's going on?" Gohan asked. Percy shrugged.

"I have no idea. She just threw me out of bed."

Land," she said grimly. "We're approaching the island of the Sirens." The two boys followed her finger.

They could barely make out the island ahead of them—just a dark spot in the mist.

"I want you to do me a favor," Annabeth said. "The Sirens ... we'll be in range of their singing soon."

"Someone care to fill me in?" Gohan asked.

"I've read stories about them. They're monsters. They get you by singing. They sing so sweetly that their voices enchant sailors and lure them to their death. Basically… zombie dinner." Gohan shuddered.

"Yikes. I need earmuffs. I have… sensitive hearing."

"No problem," Percy assured him. "We can just stop up our ears. There's a big tub of candle wax below deck—"

"I want to hear them." Annabeth interrupted. Percy blinked. "Why?"

"They say the Sirens sing the truth about what you desire. They tell you things about yourself you didn't even realize. That's what's so enchanting. If you survive ... you become wiser. I want to hear them. How often will I get that chance?"

"Did we really learn nothing from crazy sorceress lady?" Gohan asked. Annabeth glared at him.

She told them her plan. Reluctantly, Percy helped her get ready.

As soon as the rocky coastline of the island came into view, Gohan took a large rope and tied her to the foremast, taking extra care to keep her tight.

"Don't untie me," she said, "no matter what happens or how much I plead. I'll want to go straight over the edge and drown myself."

"Are you trying to tempt me?" "Ha-ha."

Then Percy and Gohan took two large wads of candle wax, kneaded them into earplugs, and stuffed their ears. Gohan took extra care to stuff extra in his ears.

Annabeth nodded sarcastically, letting them know the earplugs were a real fashion statement.

"This feels weird!" Gohan yelled. Percy looked at him in confusion.

"What?"

"What?"

It took some difficulty, but the boys came up with a plan. Gohan would guard Annabeth while Percy steered the ship.

The silence was eerie. Gohan couldn't hear anything but the rush of blood in his head. As they approached the island, jagged rocks loomed out of the fog. Percy willed the Queen Anne's Revenge to skirt around them. If they sailed any closer, those rocks would shred their hull like blender blades. Gohan sat in front of Annabeth, his eyes fixed on her.

At first, Annabeth seemed totally normal. Then she got a puzzled look on her face. Her eyes widened.

She strained against the ropes. She called his name—he could tell just from reading her lips. Her expression was clear: She had to get out. This was life or death. He had to let her out of the ropes right now.

She seemed so miserable it was hard not to cut her free. Gohan forced himself to keep his gaze on her. But, out of curiosity, he glanced at the island. He couldn't see much of the island—just mist and rocks—but floating in the water were pieces of wood and fiberglass, the wreckage of old ships, even some flotation cushions from airplanes. He was confused, to be honest.

How could music cause so many lives to veer off course? What could the Sirens possibly sing about? The only thing Gohan could possibily think of was that battle with Lord Slug, where they beat him by blowing out his sensitive ears with hearing.

For one dangerous moment, Gohan understood Annabeth's curiosity. He was tempted to take out the earplugs, just to get a taste of the song. He could feel the Sirens' voices vibrating in the timbers of the ship, pulsing along with the roar of blood in his ears. Sighing, he looked back to Annabeth.

Annabeth was pleading with him. Tears streamed down her cheeks. She strained against the ropes, as if they were holding her back from everything she cared about. Her legs flailed, as if she was kicking for air.

How could you be so cruel? She seemed to be asking him. I thought you were my friend. Gohan shook his head. Then, the trouble started. A glint of bronze made Gohan shoot up. He raced around and saw her hands working, slicing at the bonds. They forgot to disarm her!

"Crud!" Gohan cursed as he tried to take the knife from Annabeth. But she was not having it. She screamed as he fought with her, trying to disarm her. But of course, he realized too late that they had made another mistake: not tying her legs. That mistake came back to bite when her right leg swung up… and hit him right in a man's most sensitive area. His body exploded with pain. He screamed as he crumpled, cupping his groin.

"Percy!" He screamed. But, Percy couldn't hear him. He was turned away from them, looking at the island. Gohan tried to sit up and stop Annabeth, who had resumed her sawing. But, he doubled over with a new burst of pain. To his horror, Annabeth finished sawing and thrust the ropes off of her.

"Percy!" In exasperation, Gohan grabbed the closest thing he could find: a gold drachma that had fallen out of his pocket. Taking careful aim, he hurled the drachma and hit Percy in the shoulder. He whirled just in time to see Annabeth dive off the side of the ship. His eyes shot wide open in alarm, and he let out a silent yell as he raced towards Gohan.

"Seriously?" he mouthed as he rushed towards the side. Gohan groaned as he hopped to his feet and waddled after Percy, still cupping his groin. They reached the side of the ship just in time to see Annabeth paddling madly for the island, the waves carrying her straight toward the jagged rocks. They screamed her name, but if she heard them, it didn't do any good. She was entranced, swimming toward her death.

"You had one job!" Percy yelled at Gohan. Gohan got the gist from reading Percy's lips.

"She surprised me!" he mouthed back.

Percy looked back at the pilot's wheel and yelled, "Stay!" Then, he glared at Gohan.

"Cut her off!" he ordered, before jumping over the side. Gohan cursed as he followed him, crashing into the water with a loud splash.

Percy sliced into the water and willed the currents to bend around him, making a jet stream that shot Percy forward. Gohan, his aching groin soothed significantly by the water, managed to summon enough ki to blast himself forward, shooting through the water like a torpedo.

They came to the surface and spotted Annabeth, but a wave caught her, sweeping her between two razor-sharp fangs of rock. Gohan leapt onto the rocks and leapt like hopscotch, leaping from one rock to the next. Percy stuck to the water. He dove under the wrecked hull of a yacht, wove through a collection of floating metal balls on chains that he realized afterward were mines. Percy had to use all his power over water to avoid getting smashed against the rocks or tangled in the nets of barbed wire strung just below the surface.

Percy jetted between the two rock fangs and found himself in a half-moon-shaped bay. The water was choked with more rocks and ship wreckage and floating mines. The beach was black volcanic sand. Gohan let out a grunt as he landed on the beach. He whirled, looking around for Annabeth. Then, he sighted her, still paddling towards the beach. He could faintly see Percy, still shooting towards her.

Luckily or unluckily, she was a strong swimmer. She'd made it past the mines and the rocks. She was almost to the black beach. Just out of curiosity, Gohan turned. Then the mist cleared and he saw them—the Sirens.

Imagine a flock of vultures the size of people—with dirty black plumage, gray talons, and wrinkled pink necks. Now imagine human heads on top of those necks, but the human heads keep changing.

Gohan couldn't hear them, but he could see they were singing. As their mouths moved, their faces morphed into people he knew—Piccolo. Vegeta. Krillin. His mom and dad. Master Roshi. All the people he most wanted to see. Memories of a world he hadn't seen in over a year. They smiled reassuringly, inviting him forward. But no matter what shape they took, their mouths were greasy and caked with the remnants of old meals. Like vultures, they'd been eating with their faces, and it didn't look like they'd been feasting on Monster Donuts. Glaring at him, they seemed to screech and leap forward, claws outstretched. Gohan yelled as he flipped back, their claws sinking into the sand.

Annabeth swam toward them, unmoving. Even while fighting Gohan, the Sirens were still singing.

Percy knew he couldn't let her get out of the water. The sea was his only advantage. It had always protected him one way or another. And there was no way Gohan could focus on Annabeth AND the Sirens. Percy propelled himself forward and grabbed her ankle.

The moment he touched her, a shock went through his body, and Percy saw the Sirens the way Annabeth must've been seeing them.

Three people sat on a picnic blanket in Central Park. A feast was spread out before them. He recognized Annabeth's dad from photos she'd shown me—an athletic-looking, sandy-haired guy in his forties. He was holding hands with a beautiful woman who looked a lot like Annabeth. She was dressed casually—in blue jeans and a denim shirt and hiking boots—but something about the woman radiated power. Percy knew that he was looking at the goddess Athena. Next to them sat a young man ... Luke.

The whole scene glowed in a warm, buttery light. The three of them were talking and laughing, and when they saw Annabeth, their faces lit up with delight. Annabeth's mom and dad held out their arms invitingly. Luke grinned and gestured for Annabeth to sit next to him—as if he'd never betrayed her, as if he were still her friend.

Behind the trees of Central Park, a city skyline rose. Percy caught his breath, because it was Manhattan, but not Manhattan. It had been totally rebuilt from dazzling white marble, bigger and grander than ever—with golden windows and rooftop gardens. It was better than New York. Better than Mount Olympus.

Percy knew immediately that Annabeth had designed it all. She was the architect for a whole new world, just like that… monster had offered her. She had reunited her parents. She had saved Luke. She had done everything she'd ever wanted.

Percy blinked hard. When he opened his eyes, all he saw were the Sirens—ragged vultures with human faces, ready to feed on another victim. Gohan was still dodging them, keeping his distance.

Percy pulled Annabeth back into the surf. He couldn't hear her, but Percy could tell she was screaming. She kicked him in the face, but he held on.

Percy willed the currents to carry them out into the bay. Annabeth pummeled and kicked him, making it hard to concentrate. She thrashed so much they almost collided with a floating mine. Percy didn't know what to do. He'd never get back to the ship alive if she kept fighting. He managed to glimpse Gohan, still weaving around the Sirens. He blasted one of them in the face, causing them to screech and lunge. As he leaped away, an idea came into his head. These things were influencing Annabeth with their singing. But, if he could stop the singing…

Gohan grunted as he slashed his hands together, forcing ki together into a large ball, which grew larger and larger. He shot away from the island, until he was hovering over the bay. Then, he hurled the ball, right at the island. In the same instant, he shot down like a bullet, right towards the squirming figures of Percy and Annabeth. He tackled them right in the same instant as his ball made contact, sending them plunging into the water. There was a bright flash that seemed light up the surface, and then they were all slammed by a force that felt like they were all getting slammed by a wrestler, plunging them deep into the water like rockets, until they were all swallowed up by the deep, dark abyss of the sea.


	20. Robbing a Singing Crab

**Hi everyone! Sorry that it's been so long since the last update, but I just got back from BookCon in NYC. Man, it was a blast! Anyway, enjoy this next chapter! I think that if any of you are movie fans, you might recognize this next scene!**

To be blunt, Gohan and Annabeth might have drowned if it hadn't been for Percy. After all being a child of the sea had its benefits. He managed to recover from the shock wave quicker than the others.

They shot into the depths—ten feet, twenty feet. Percy knew he had to be careful because he could withstand a lot more pressure than Annabeth or Gohan. Thank the gods, he still had a grip on Annabeth. After they had been hit by the shock wave, Annabeth had gone limp. Percy wrapped his arm around Annabeth as he kicked out towards Gohan's kicking body. He managed to grab Gohan's shoulder, but almost got slugged.

"Stop struggling!" Percy yelled as they struggled in the water. Bubbles rose around them.

Bubbles.

Percy was desperate. He had to keep his friends alive. He imagined all the bubbles in the sea—always churning, rising. He imagined them coming together, being pulled toward him.

The sea obeyed. There was a flurry of white, a tickling sensation all around them, and when his vision cleared, they had a huge bubble of air around them. Only their legs stuck into the water. Gohan let out a loud gasp as he fell back, spitting out a mouthful of water. He ripped out his eardrums and groaned in exasperation.

"Next time Annabeth has an idea like that… I'm gagging her." Percy nodded as he crouched over her, pressing his hand onto her chest. He gestured upwards. For a long agonizing minute, Annabeth laid unmoving. Just as their fear peaked, Annabeth let out a loud gasp as she shot upwards, spitting out mouthfuls of water. She let out several loud gasps, her eyes shooting in every direction.

She gasped and coughed. Her whole body shuddered, but when she looked at them, they knew the spell had been broken.

She started to sob—horrible, heartbroken sobbing. She put her head on Gohan's shoulder and he held her. Percy had a flabbergasted look on his face.

"Really? No thanks?" he thought in frustration.

Fish gathered to look at them—a school of barracudas, some curious marlins. Scram! Percy told them.

They swam off, but Percy could tell they went reluctantly.

"Great." Percy cursed as he removed the wax. They were about to start rumors flying around the sea about the son of Poseidon, an Otherworlder, and some girl at the bottom of Siren Bay. Percy really hoped that the gay rumor wouldn't start again. He had had plenty of that back at Merriweather, when Sloane had started rumors about him and Tyson.

Annabeth gasped loudly.

"I'm so-sorry! I didn't realize… Gohan, I'm sorry that I kicked you in the…" Her face was beet red in embarrassment.

"Yeah… best not to mention that. Ever. Again. Ow." Gohan groaned as he nursed his groin.

"You're gonna need ice." Percy commented. Gohan nodded.

"Look! It's not that bad!" Annabeth stammered.

"Annabeth, there is one thing that you never do in a fight. And that's to go for the balls. That's just… wrong. Dirty." Gohan nodded. Annabeth groaned as she covered her face.

"I wasn't in my right mind, okay? I made a mistake. I didn't realize," she murmured. "What?"

Her eyes were the same color as the mist over the Sirens' island. "How powerful the temptation would be."

"I saw the way you rebuilt Manhattan," Percy told her. "And Luke and your parents." She blushed. "You saw that?" Gohan cocked his head in confusion.

"Wait, what?" Percy filled Gohan in on what he had seen. Annabeth was quiet.

"What Luke told you back on the Princess Andromeda, about starting the world from scratch ... that really got to you, huh?"

She shivered. "My fatal flaw. That's what the Sirens showed me. My fatal flaw is hubris."

Percy blinked. "That brown stuff they spread on veggie sandwiches?"

"That stuff is delicious." Gohan added

She rolled her eyes. "No, you morons. That's hummus. Hubris is worse."

"What could be worse than hummus?"

"Hubris means deadly pride, Percy. Thinking you can do things better than anyone else ... even the gods."

"You feel that way?"

She looked down. "Don't you ever feel like, what if the world really is messed up? What if we could do it all over again from scratch? No more war. Nobody homeless. No more summer reading homework."

"I'm listening."

"I mean, the West represents a lot of the best things mankind ever did—that's why the fire is still burning. That's why Olympus is still around. But sometimes you just see the bad stuff, you know? And you start thinking the way Luke does: 'If I could tear this all down, I would do it better.' Don't you ever feel that way? Like you could do a better job if you ran the world?" Gohan looked nervous.

"Annabeth, that's dangerous talking. I get where you're coming from, I really do. But, take it from a guy who's from another world. We don't have gods running everything, and there's plenty of those problems. Things like that are multiversal. If there's a world where that stuff doesn't exist, I would love to see it. But, what gives us the right to try and shape the world into our own image? Even if we do have the power." Annabeth looked surprised.

"Then you're lucky. Hubris isn't your fatal flaw."

"What is?" Annabeth shook her head.

"I don't know, Gohan, but every hero has one. If you don't find it and learn to control it ... well, they don't call it 'fatal' for nothing."

"So was it worth it?" Percy asked Annabeth. "Do you feel ... wiser?"

She gazed into the distance. "I'm not sure. But we have to save the camp. If we don't stop Luke ..." She was about to continue, but they were cut off by shaking. More specifically, the sudden motion of the bubble that sent them all crashing to the ground.

"What the?" Gohan stammered.

"Current! We're caught in a current! Percy!" Percy nodded as he struggled to regain his footing, but the bubble was shaking so severely that he couldn't concentrate, just like when they had been trying to enter the Sea of Monsters. It was taking everything he had to keep the bubble from collapsing. They twirled through the water, spinning in every direction. Annabeth was turning a sickly shade of green, and Percy had his teeth clenched in concentration, desperately trying to keep the bubble from collapsing, all the while trying to steer. Gohan grunted. He had never felt so… helpless. Then, they burst out in an underwater cave, sending them tumbling. Percy gasped as he breathed in fresh oxygen. Annabeth and Gohan groaned as they sat up, rubbing their sore spots.

"What was… where are we?" Gohan asked. His voice echoed in the dark cave. Annabeth looked around, her face lit up with curiosity.

"Amazing, it must be an underwater cavern. An air pocket. How… what is that?" she pointed. They followed the direction she was pointing, and instantly saw it. A large hole in the cave wall. A tunnel. The only reasons they could see it at all in the dim light, was the twinkling yellow light.

"I don't like this." Gohan commented as they peered down the tunnel.

"Well, we can't stay here. I don't see any other ways out here, and we need to save Grover and the camp before it's too late." Percy countered.

"I'm back!" Both boys screamed as they jumped back. Annabeth materialized right in front of them, an amused grin on her face.

"Annabeth? Wha…" Percy wheezed as she clenched her chest.

"Huh? Oh, I got tired listening to the two of you argue, so I snuck in. Come on, you have to see this!" She whirled and dashed down the tunnel.

"Whoa." Was all Gohan could say as the three of them peeked into the chamber. The tunnel was actually pretty short, and had led into a massive chamber. The top of the chamber was like a bubble, shining faint green light into the room. It looked like an aquarium. However, it was what was at the center of the room that had everyone's attention: a massive pile of gold trinkets, piled several feet high. There were gold weapons, coins, armor. They also saw quite a few drachmas among the coins, as well as several celestial bronze swords, knives, shields, and even a mace.

"That's an understatement. I think there are more weapons here than in the armory back at camp!" Percy marveled.

"So… what? We take it all? I mean, if we could get it on the ship, we could just sail it back to Camp once we rescue Grover and unload it. Transporting it is the problem. I can't carry it all. And though the sea? Yeah…"

"Both of you. Shut up. We can't take any of this. We only need one thing. See the brown?" She pointed at the top of the pile. Gohan narrowed his eyes. There was a brown box sitting in the middle of an open gold chest.

"Why?" Annabeth crossed her arms.

"Because I said so. I think there's something special in that box. Something we desperately need." Percy was surprised.

"So… all those weapons, and you want that box?"

"No, Seaweed Brain. I want what's inside the box. Now, go get it."

"Why don't you do it?"

"I am. You're the distraction. Gohan will act as the reserve." She grabbed Gohan and leaned in next to his ear. She whispered something Percy couldn't hear, but Gohan nodded.

"Wait, what? Distraction? There's nothing there!" Annabeth scoffed.

"Are you really so dumb that you think all that gold got there on its own? Something put it all there. And given where we are, I figure it's got to be ocean related. Since someone here is the son of Poseidon, the god of the sea! I figure that you would be the best distraction." Percy was a little frustrated to say the least. But, he had to admire Annabeth's logic.

"Worse case, whatever it is tries to kill you, in which case Gohan jumps in and kicks its butt." Then, Annabeth yanked her baseball cap on, causing her to vanish.

"Now, get going." Percy sighed. Then, he stepped out into the cavern. The sound of his footsteps echoed as he walked towards the massive pile of gold. His eyes danced over all the gold, lingering on the mace. For one instant, he imagined himself dressed in medieval knight armor, holding a gleaming mace and shield. When he had been really small, Percy had loved knights. He had watched so many medieval movies on the small TV in his first apartment. Dragonheart, Princess Bride, Braveheart… boy, those were the days. He'd almost prefer saving princesses and fighting dragons over all of this.

"Hello?" Percy called out, feeling ridiculous. There was nothing here. Out of curiosity, he plucked one of the golden trinkets, a cup embedded with rubies. As Percy admired the cup, he failed to notice that the massive pile of gold was rumbling behind him. The loose gravel shook as something massive rose behind him. Percy's eyes widened as he whirled to face… a giant crab. Yeah, a giant crab.

"Well well! A thief!" Then, Percy was snatched up by the crab in one swift motion, bringing him up to the creature's face. Percy grunted as he struggled to break free.

"I'm no thief!" Percy spat as he glared at the crab. Well, he tried to look at the crab. He kept drifting between one eye and the other.

"Seriously? Pick an eye. Just one. There." Percy finally settled on the left eye.

"Now then, what is a puny little mortal doing in the Sea of Monsters? Not that I mind, your kind are so delicious. And you all bring so much gold for my collection." Percy snarled.

"I'm not a mortal, I'm a demigod! Percy Jackson!" The crab looked disgusted.

"Ugh! I can't stand demigods! So loud and meddling! And always trying to rob me! The last demigod I fought sliced off my leg!" The crab moved Percy so that he could see the crab's underbelly, where he could see that one of the crab's legs had been sliced off. There was a stub jutting out where a leg should be.

"So, which god spat you out?"

"Poseidon." The crab snarled.

"Barnacle Beard?! Oh please! I was here way before that clown!" Percy cocked his head in confusion.

"Ummmm… who are you exactly?" the crab boggled at him.

"WHAT? You don't recognize me?" Percy shook his head.

"I am Tamatoa! The great scavenger! The terror of the Sea of Monsters!" Percy shook his head.

"Sorry. No." Tamatoa snorted.

"Seriously? Oh well, I guess I'll make this a quick bite." Tamatoa lifted Percy towards his mouth.

"W-wait! WAIT! Tell me!" Tamatoa froze, Percy dangling over his jaws.

"What?" Percy swallowed. He did not want Gohan to save him this time. He wanted to show Annabeth that he was more than capable of saving himself.

"Tell me! Enlighten me about you!" Tamatoa frowned.

"Are you trying to get me to talk about myself?" The crab snarled as he glared at Percy. He gulped.

"Because I will gladly do so!" Tamatoa grinned as he kicked the side of the wall, causing several rocks to drop through the bubble, filling the cavern with an eerie music. Then… he began singing.

 _Well, Tamatoa hasn't always been this glam  
I was a drab little crab once  
Now I know I can be happy as a clam  
Because I'm beautiful baby  
Did your m_ _ommy_ _say, "Listen to your heart"?  
"Be who you are on the inside"?  
I need three words to tear her argument apart  
Your daddy lied!_

Then, he spun in a circle, continuing to sing as the cavern was filled with twinkling gold light.

 _I'd rather be shiny!  
Like a treasure from a sunken pirate wreck  
Scrub the deck and make it look shiny  
I will sparkle like a wealthy woman's neck  
Just a sec, don't you know?_

 _Fish are dumb, dumb, dumb  
They chase anything that glitters, beginners  
Oh, and here they come, come, come_

 _To the brightest thing that glitters_

 _Mmm, fish dinners_

Almost as by cue, suddenly at least a dozen fish fell from the ceiling, right into Tamatoa's mouth, which he swallowed with a massive CRUNCH, causing Percy to winch. Tamatoa then fixed his gaze on Percy.

 _I just love free food  
And you look like seafood!_

He raised Percy to his mouth. But, just before he dropped Percy into his mouth, he froze.

"My my… what's this? It seems that you aren't alone!" Then, the massive crab, despite his size, moved like a lightning bolt, tilting to the side like a massive seesaw. A loud scream echoed through the chamber as Annabeth reappeared on the crab's back and tumbled, her hat falling to the floor. Before she hit the ground, his other giant claw shot out and grabbed her, yanking her up to his head.

"Seems I'm surrounded by demigods! Such shiny hair…" Tamatoa mused as he dropped Percy and grabbed Annabeth's hair with his other claw, yanking it up. Annabeth let out a gut-wrenching scream of pain.

"Let her go!" Percy roared as he raised Riptide. Tamatoa turned towards him, a smile beaming across his face.

"My my! Such a shiny sword! I can't wait to add it to my collection!" Then, he swung out with his free claw and sent Percy flying into the wall, causing him to crash to the ground. Then… he began singing again.

 _Well, well, well  
Little Jackson's having trouble with his look  
You little semi-demi-mini-god  
Ouch! What a terrible performance  
Get the hook! (Get it?)  
You don't swing it like you need to, man  
_  
 _Yet I have to give your kind credit for my start  
For just like you I made myself a work of art  
I'll never hide, I can't_  
 _I'm too shiny!  
Watch me dazzle like a diamond in the rough  
Strut my stuff, my stuff is so shiny  
Send your armies but they'll never be enough!_

Percy ducked and swung, trying to disintegrate him, but the giant crab somehow swerved right out of the way. The next swing, Tamatoa dipped his shell, causing Percy's sword to bounce off his golden shell, sending several drachmas flying. Somehow, Tamatoa didn't skip a beat in his singing.

 _My shell's too tough, little man  
You could try, try, try  
But you can't expect a demigod  
To beat a decapod (Look it up)  
You will die, die, die  
Now it's time for me to take apart  
Your aching heart_

To Percy's horror, the roof seemed to close, plunging the cave into darkness. Tamatoa's whole body lit up, glowing like a Las Vegas neon sign. He advanced on Percy, a smile on his face as he clicked his free claw together.

 _Far from the gods who abandoned you  
Chasing the love of these mortals  
Who made you feel wanted.  
You try to be tough  
But your armour's just not hard enough  
_  
 _Jackson! Now it's time to kick your hiney_  
 _Ever seen someone so shiny?  
Soak it in cause it's the last you'll ever see  
C'est la vie mon ami, I'm so shiny  
Now I'll eat you so prepare your final plea  
Just for me_

Percy let out a grunt as he tripped on the ground, sending him sprawling against the wall. The crab advanced on him with an eager look on his face.

 _You'll never be quite as shiny  
You wish you were nice and shiny!_

"HEY!" the giant crab froze as he turned to face Gohan, who was standing in the entrance, his hands glowing.

"I got something shiny for you!" then, a bright yellow ki blast shot out of his hand and slammed into Tamatoa's face.

"ARGH!" he howled in pain as he stumbled back and dropped Annabeth, who fell into Gohan's waiting arms.

"You called?" Annabeth scoffed as she dropped herself back on the ground.

"Shut up and come on!" Gohan nodded as he raised his fist at the ceiling and fired another ki blast, blowing the ceiling apart in a massive blast, showering them in dust and coral. Florescent green light once more filled the room.

"I'll meet you on top! Hang on!" Gohan gripped Annabeth tightly, one hand on her back and the other… a bit lower. She yelped as she glared at him.

"Sorry!" Then, he hurled Annabeth upwards like a comet, sending her skyrocketing through the room and into the sea. Gohan whirled to face the large crab, who roared as he changed towards him, kicking up dustclouds of sand. Gohan leaped over the giant crab and grabbed Percy.

"Hang on!" Then, he hurled Percy upwards, sending him flying through the ceiling. Now, it was just Gohan and Tamatoa.

"Well well well… what do we have here? You just cost me my dinner!" he snarled

"Can't have you eating my friends. Plus, I believe the term is otherworlder." The crab snarled.

"Of course. Just as annoying. Why fight with these demigods, otherworlder? This isn't your fight." Gohan snarled.

"Beats collecting junk." The crab growled.

"You call this junk? I am glamorous!" Gohan snorted.

"So, what? You can stuff all the pretty clothes on a figurine that you want. Doesn't change that it's still a figurine." Then, Gohan raced forward as the crab charged at him, dodging the swinging claws as he rolled under the creature's underbelly. Then, he shot straight up, smashing into the crab's underbelly, sending him flying sideways, slamming on his back with a massive CRASH! Gohan shot straight upwards, plunging through the ceiling into the black abyss of the sea, bobbing upwards like a missile. Tamatoa roared in frustration as his legs flailed in the air, unable to righted himself.

"Wait! Come back!"

"Did you like the song?"


	21. The Island of Fluffy Doom

**Hi everybody, don't forget to keep voting on my poll on my profile. At the moment, Thalia's in the lead with Annabeth closely behind her! Let's keep it going!**

Gohan was plunged straight into faint green. His whole body wanted to panic, to flail blindly. But, he focused on kicking up. Swimming towards the light. Just as his lungs were about to burst, he finally broke through the surface and gasped, his lungs filling with air. He took several deep breaths, blinking stinging seawater out of his eyes.

"Annabeth! Percy!" he cried out.

"Here!" Gohan turned in the water and was met with the sight of the Queen Anne's Revenge, with Percy steering the ship towards him. Annabeth was standing on the side of the ship, and pushed a rope ladder off. Gohan reached out and grabbed it, pulling himself up with a grunt, his clothes sticking to him like glue. He shimmied up the rope, and climbed onto the ship with the help of a quick pull from Annabeth, who was draped in a brown cloak.

"Here. We need to get warm or we'll get sick. Last thing we need is to be stuck in the Sea of Monsters with pneumonia." Gohan sighed as he draped the cloak over himself. He noticed Annabeth shivering as she pressed her cloak around her.

"Well, that was fun!" they heard Percy yell sarcastically as he stormed down the deck towards them, an annoyed expression on his face. Surprisingly, he was not wet in the slightest. Annabeth flashed Gohan an annoyed expression. Gohan simply winked.

"Calm down, dude." Percy scowled.

"Excuse me? I was almost turned into seafood by a crazy signing crab! All for some stupid box that Annabeth wanted… THAT WE DIDN'T EVEN GET! SERIOUSLY!" Gohan raised his hand.

"Two things."

"WHAT?"

"One, I actually liked the song. Two, about the box…" Gohan reached into his pocket and pulled out the brown box, somehow not wet in the slightest. Percy stared at the box in pure disbelief.

"How… when…"

"When he was swinging Annabeth around and trying to crush you." Gohan handed the box to Annabeth, who cradled it in her hands. Intrigued, Gohan and Percy pressed next to her as she opened the box to reveal…

"A compass?" Percy asked in disbelief. It looked like something out of a museum. It was the same color of brown as the box, with a grey map of the world in the middle. There was a red needle in the middle, which began to spin wildly the moment Annabeth touched it.

"Not just any compass. This is the Wayfinder's Compass. It was supposedly given to the ancient explorer Tyraneus by Hermes millennia ago. Instead of pointing north, it points to the holder's greatest desire." Percy and Gohan looked shocked.

"Seriously?" Annabeth nodded.

"Yes. Anything or anyone. It always points in the direction of whatever that person truly desires most. It will never deceive you. I know that you're pretty good out here at sea, Percy. But, this could really come in handy. It can help us find Grover much faster…"

"How does it work?" Percy asked as Annabeth handed it to him.

"It's simple. You have to picture what you desire most."

"What I want is to find Grover. And save the camp." Annabeth nodded.

"So, the compass should point you to Grover. As if by cue, the needle froze, pointing in a southwestern direction.

"Whoa." Percy turned around in a circle, but the needle remained in the same exact direction.

"Looks like that's where Grover is." Percy nodded as he willed the ship to turn. Almost immediately, a loud creaking filled the air as the large ship slowly turned in the water., until the compass was pointing straightforward.

"I sure hope this thing is right…" Percy murmured.

"Trust me. This compass has aided countless heroes in the pa-CHOO!" Annabeth was interrupted by a violent sneeze.

"You okay?"

"Y-yeah. I'm just a li-CHOOO!" Annabeth sneezed again.

"Okay, come on. You're standing in soaked clothes. Let's get you downstairs." Annabeth wanted to protest, but burst into a fit of sneezing.

"Man the ship?" Percy nodded, though he looked a little wary.

"Come on you. I… might need a change of clothes myself." Gohan guided a sneezing Annabeth to the stairs, and followed her down below. Percy shook his head as he gripped the wheel.

"No… they wouldn't. Besides, Gohan doesn't even know what to do with a girl…"

"You okay in there?" Gohan called out ten minutes later, as he sat outside the door of their makeshift steam room, which Annabeth was currently occupying. They had first discovered it when they had escaped from Circe's island. It was essentially a small wooden room, with a massive metal tub in the center. Gohan had figured out that he could make a makeshift steam room by placing his hands in the water and creating a ki ball, which heated up the water and made steam. It didn't much concentration to keep the ki ball together. Gohan had actually already dried himself, simply by using his ki to work as a dryer. He was radiating so much hear that his clothes were warm and toasty.

"You really don't have to do this. I'm not a baby! I can take care of myself" Annabeth protested, before sneezing again.

"I know. I want to. You're my friend. Friends can't take care of each other?" he was met with silence for several minutes.

"I'm fine. Really." Her voice insisted. Gohan shrugged.

"What's wrong?" More silence.

"Gohan… I just feel a little uncomfortable. Mind leaving my clothes?"

"Okay. I left them by the door." Annabeth sighed as she slid deeper into the water, listening as Gohan's footsteps faded away, leaving her to her thoughts. It was the first peace and quiet she had had in… a long time.

Gohan climbed out of the underdeck and climbed onto the deck. He glanced upwards at Percy, who was steering the ship. The compass was clutched in his right hand, observing the device through a candle perched on the railing. Gohan almost interrupted him, but suddenly decided against it. He sat on the deck and looked upwards. It was a beautiful night. The ocean was calm, and the sky was filled with stars. Gohan sighed. He was nervous. If things went wrong, if they failed to save camp… Gohan couldn't bear the thought. He didn't want to lose one of the few places in this world he considered a home. He was staring at the stars so long that he didn't realize he had fallen asleep until he was woken up by Annabeth shaking him.

"Hey. Sleepyhead. Wake up, you're missing breakfast." Gohan shot up like a rocket.

"Breakfast?"

"This isn't breakfast!" Gohan protested five minutes later as he stared into the tiny bowl. Annabeth scoffed as she stirred the large, steaming pot. After they had lost their packs, the only food they had left were a few bags of jerky, and several preserved vegetables and meats below decks. Percy had been a little wary that those stored items were expired, but Annabeth suspected that Circe's magic had kept everything perfectly preserved, which was why the ship wasn't a hunk of rotting wood. So, Annabeth had brewed a stew, mixing together meat, vegetables, and a bottle of water.

"Well, I'm sorry, Mr. Bottomless Stomach! We all can't brew an endless feast. You'll get your portion and you'll like it! So either eat, or shut up and starve!" Gohan was shocked into silence by Annabeth's cold stare, while Percy chuckled nervously before sipping from his bowl. Gohan sighed before reluctantly holding his bowl out. Annabeth simply smirked before filling up his bowl. Gohan then gulped the entire thing down in one mouthful before holding out his bowl and taking another mouthful.

"Man, this is delicious! You're a really good cook, Annabeth!" she blushed as she stirred.

"It's nothing special, really. Just something I picked up from when I was with Thalia and…" she trailed off. Gohan almost snarled at the mere reference to Luke.

"Look, it's basically that you learn to work with what you have."

"Maybe you should be a chef instead of an architect." Percy joked. She punched his arm. Though, that ended up hurting Annabeth way more than it did Gohan, literally.

"Ow." She muttered as she rubbed her knuckled.

"You know, for a group of smart people, we've all made some idiotic decisions that kinda backfired on us."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Percy asked, as he checked the compass to make sure they were still heading in the right direction.

"Circe? The sirens? My loosing my head back at camp? If anything, I think all these things show that we've got a lot to learn." Annabeth nodded.

"I suppose. But I still feel like it was something I had to do."

"Was it worth it?"

She gazed into the distance. "I'm not sure. But we have to save the camp. If we don't stop Luke ..."

"Will you stand against him? If it comes to it?" Annabeth gave Percy a scathing glare. She didn't need to say a word to express her thoughts. But at the same time, her eyes reflected the conflict raging inside her. To say Gohan found this alarming was an understatement.

If Luke's way of thinking could even tempt Annabeth, there was no telling how many other half-bloods might join him.

Suddenly Annabeth's eyes widened. "Guys." they turned.

Up ahead was another blotch of land—a saddle-shaped island with forested hills and white beaches and green meadows—just like Gohan's vision.

Percy's nautical senses confirmed it. 30 degrees, 31 minutes north, 75 degrees, 12 minutes west. Just to be sure, he raised the WayFinder's compass. It was pointing straight at the island. They had reached the home of the Cyclops.

When Gohan thought of "monster island, he pictured craggy rocks and bones scattered on the beach like the island of the Sirens.

The Cyclops's island was nothing like that. The place looked like a Caribbean postcard. It had green fields and tropical fruit trees and white beaches. It was exactly like what he had seen in the House of Life. As they sailed toward the shore, Annabeth breathed in the sweet air. "The Fleece," she said.

Gohan could feel its power, even if he couldn't see it yet. It was like sensing some one else's ki. Only, this one radiated warmth, comfort, strength, and life. Still, something bothered him. "If we take it away, will the island die?"

Annabeth shook her head. "It'll fade. Go back to what it would be normally, whatever that is."

In the meadow at the base of the ravine, several dozen sheep were milling around. They looked peaceful enough, but they were huge—the size of hippos. Just past them was a path that led up into the hills. At the top of the path, near the edge of the canyon, was a massive oak tree. Something gold glittered in its branches.

"This is too easy," Percy said. "We could just hike up there and take it?"

"You seriously expect this to be that easy? Really? After everything else we've been through?" Gohan pointed out. Percy glared at him.

"You know, you don't need to be such a dick about it."

"Boys. Enough horn clashing." Annabeth interrupted.

Her eyes narrowed. "There's supposed be a guardian. A dragon or ..."

That's when a deer emerged from the bushes. It trotted into the meadow, probably looking for grass to eat, when the sheep all bleated at once and rushed the animal. It happened so fast that the deer stumbled and was lost in a sea of wool and trampling hooves.

Grass and tufts of fur flew into the air.

A second later the sheep all moved away, back to their regular peaceful wanderings. Where the deer had been was a pile of clean white bones.

"Okay then…" Gohan sweat-dropped

The three of them exchanged looks.

"They're like piranhas," she said.

"Piranhas with wool. How will we—"

"Guys!" Annabeth gasped, grabbing Percy's arm. "Look."

She pointed down the beach, to just below the sheep meadow, where a small boat had been run aground ... the other lifeboat from the CSS Birmingham.

Ultimately, they decided there was no way they could get past the man-eating sheep. At first, Gohan and Annabeth both had their own ideas. Gohan wanted to try simply flying over the sheep up to the Fleece and taking it, while Annabeth wanted to sneak up the path invisibly and grab the Fleece, but in the end Percy convinced them that something would go wrong. The sheep would smell them. Another guardian would appear. The ship might be very good jumpers, and catch Gohan by surprise. And Gohan might not be powerful to take on a mass of piranha sheep. Something. And if that happened, he'd be too far away to help.

Besides, their first job was to find Grover and whoever had come ashore in that lifeboat— assuming they'd gotten past the sheep.

They moored the Queen Anne's Revenge on the back side of the island where the cliffs rose straight up a good two hundred feet. The cliffs looked climbable, barely—about as difficult as the lava wall back at camp. At least it was free of sheep.

"So… we climb?!" Gohan shook his head.

"No need! All aboard the Gohan express!" He wrapped his hands around both Percy and Annabeth's waists, one for each. Annabeth's eyes widened in horror.

"Oh no, not this agaIIINNNNN!" Gohan shot into the air like a bullet, and landed with a soft thud on the top of the cliff ten seconds later. Percy and Annabeth shoved themselves away from him and stumbled away, both their faces green.

"Ugh, my stomach!"

"Seriously? Come one!" moaned Annabeth.

"Garrr!" bellowed another voice.

Percy whirled around, but he couldn't see who'd spoken.

Annabeth clamped her hands over their mouths. She pointed.

The ledge they were sitting on was narrower than he'd realized. It dropped off on the opposite side, and that's where the voice was coming from—right below them.

"You're a feisty one!" the deep voice bellowed.

"Challenge me!" Clarisse's voice, no doubt about it. "Give me back my sword and I'll fight you!"

The monster roared with laughter.

They crept to the edge. They were right above the entrance of the Cyclops's cave. Below stood Polyphemus and Grover, still in his wedding dress. Clarisse was tied up, hanging upside down over a pot of boiling water. Percy was half hoping to see Tyson down there, too. Even if he'd been in danger, at least Percy would've known he was alive. But there was no sign of him. Gohan was snickering.

"Do. Not. Laugh." Annabeth hissed.

"Sorry. Grover looks idiotic!"

"Hmm," Polyphemus pondered. "Eat loudmouth girl now or wait for wedding feast? What does my bride think?"

He turned to Grover, who backed up and almost tripped over his completed bridal train. "Oh, um, I'm not hungry right now, dear. Perhaps—"

"Did you say bride?" Clarisse demanded. "Who— Grover?" Next to Gohan, Annabeth muttered, "Shut up. She has to shut up."

Polyphemus glowered. "What 'Grover'?" "The satyr!" Clarisse yelled.

"Oh!" Grover yelped. "The poor thing's brain is boiling from that hot water. Pull her down, dear!"

Polyphemus's eyelids narrowed over his baleful milky eye, as if he were trying to see Clarisse more clearly.

The Cyclops was an even more horrible sight than Gohan had imagined. To be fair, Gohan had never actually seen the Cyclops in his vision, only heard him. Having a sensitive nose in this situation did not help either. Partly because his rancid smell was now up close and personal. And Partly because he was dressed in his wedding outfit—a crude kilt and shoulder-wrap, stitched together from baby-blue tuxedoes, as if the he'd skinned an entire wedding party.

"What satyr?" asked Polyphemus. "Satyrs are good eating. You bring me a satyr?"

"No, you big idiot!" bellowed Clarisse. "That satyr! Grover! The one in the wedding dress!"

Gohan wanted to punch Clarisse, but it was too late. Polyphemus turned and ripped off Grover's wedding veil—revealing his curly hair, his scruffy adolescent beard, his tiny horns.

Polyphemus breathed heavily, trying to contain his anger. "I don't see very well," he growled. "Not since many years ago when the other hero stabbed me in eye. But YOU'RE—NO— LADY—CYCLOPS!"

The Cyclops grabbed Grover's dress and tore it away. Underneath, the old Grover reappeared in his jeans and T-shirt. He yelped and ducked as the monster swiped over his head.

"Stop!" Grover pleaded. "Don't eat me raw! I—I have a good recipe!"

Percy reached for his sword, but Annabeth hissed, "Wait!"

Polyphemus was hesitating, a boulder in his hand, ready to smash his would-be bride. "Recipe?" he asked Grover.

"Oh y-yes! You don't want to eat me raw. You'll get E coli and botulism and all sorts of horrible things. I'll taste much better grilled over a slow fire. With mango chutney! You could go get some mangos right now, down there in the woods. I'll just wait here."

"Grilled satyr with mango chutney," Polyphemus mused. He looked back at Clarisse, still hanging over the pot of boiling water. "You a satyr, too?"

"No, you overgrown pile of dung!" she yelled. "I'm a girl! The daughter of Ares! Now untie me so I can rip your arms off!"

"Rip my arms off," Polyphemus repeated.

"And stuff them down your throat!"

"You got spunk."

"Let me down!"

Polyphemus snatched up Grover as if he were a wayward puppy. "Have to graze sheep now. Wedding postponed until tonight. Then we'll eat satyr for the main course!"

"But ... you're still getting married?" Grover sounded hurt. "Who's the bride?" Polyphemus looked toward the boiling pot.

Clarisse made a strangled sound. "Oh, no! You can't be serious. I'm not—"

Before the three of them could do anything, Polyphemus plucked her off the rope like she was a ripe apple, and tossed her and Grover deep into the cave. "Make yourself comfortable! I come back at sundown for big event!"

Then the Cyclops whistled, and a mixed flock of goats and sheep—smaller than the man- eaters—flooded out of the cave and past their master. As they went to pasture, Polyphemus patted some on the back and called them by name—Beltbuster, Tammany, Lockhart, etc.

When the last sheep had waddled out, Polyphemus rolled a boulder in front of the doorway as easily as Percy would close a refrigerator door, shutting off the sound of Clarisse and Grover screaming inside.

"Mangos," Polyphemus grumbled to himself. "What are mangos?"

He strolled off down the mountain in his baby-blue groom's outfit, leaving them alone with a pot of boiling water and a six-ton boulder. The three of them stared at the boulder.

"You can move that, right?" Annabeth asked. Gohan stepped up and experimentally pressed against it. The rock rumbled as it moved several inches to the right. He then released it, letting it fall back with a loud thud. A loud grunt echoed as the Cyclops turned in confusion, his attention caught by the sound of the rumble. Unfortunately, it seemed that his hearing was still excellent.

"Hide!" They all ducked from the Cyclops, his eye glancing over at them. After what seemed like a long, agonizing minute, he grunted and turned back towards his sheep.

"Yeah. I can move it." Gohan whispered.

"Only problem is that he'll hear you the second you do it. And even if you try to do it quietly, all it takes is for him to just glance this way. He may be half blind, but even he'll see that his boulder has been moved!" Percy hissed. They watched the distant baby-blue shape of the Cyclops as he moved among his flocks. He had wisely divided his regular animals from his man-eating sheep, putting each group on either side of the huge crevice that divided the island. The only way across was the rope bridge, and the planks were much too far apart for sheep hooves.

They watched as Polyphemus visited his carnivorous flock on the far side. Unfortunately, they didn't eat him. In fact, they didn't seem to bother him at all. He fed them chunks of mystery meat from a great wicker basket.

"We'll have to use speed. And trickery." Annabeth suggested. Both boys could see the gears turning in Annabeth's head.

"You've got an idea." She nodded.

"Give or take, we have thirty seconds once you push the rock. So, here's what we do…" about five minutes later, Gohan pressed his hands to the rock while Percy stood behind him. Annabeth was perched up on a higher rock, her hat clutched in her hand. With a nod at Gohan, she jammed it over her head, causing her to vanish.

"Ready?" Gohan whispered. Percy nodded. Then, with a loud grunt, Gohan shoved the rock, sending it rolling away from the cave and off the side of the cliff, followed by a loud splash. A massive roar from down below confirmed the Cyclops had heard their little stunt.

"Move!" Percy and Gohan dashed into the cave as the ground rumbled, confirming that the Cyclops was running towards them.

The Cyclops would have raced right into the cave, but Annabeth shouted, "Hello, ugly!"

Polyphemus stiffened. "Who said that?"

"Nobody!" Annabeth yelled.

That got exactly the reaction she'd been hoping for. The monster's face turned red with rage. "Nobody!" Polyphemus yelled back. "I remember you!"

"You're too stupid to remember anybody," Annabeth taunted. "Much less Nobody."

Polyphemus bellowed furiously. "Come here! Let me kill you, Nobody!"

"You can't kill Nobody, you stupid oaf," she taunted. "Come find me!" Polyphemus barreled down the hill toward her voice.

Now, the "Nobody" thing wouldn't have made sense to anybody, but Annabeth had explained that it was the name Odysseus had used to trick Polyphemus centuries ago, right before he poked the Cyclops's eye out with a large hot stick. Annabeth had figured Polyphemus would still have a grudge about that name, and she was right. In his frenzy to find his old enemy, he forgot the cave. Apparently, he didn't even stop to consider that Annabeth's voice was female, whereas the first Nobody had been male. On the other hand, he'd wanted to marry Grover, so he couldn't have been all that bright about the whole male/female thing. Gohan was not comfortable with leaving Annabeth to distract the Cyclops all by herself, but she pointed out that she couldn't make them both invisible, and two people could search a cave better than one. They searched the main room, but there was no sign of Grover or Clarisse.

"Anything?"

"No!" In frustration, they raced toward the back of the cave.

They ran down corridors littered with bones, past rooms full of sheepskin rugs and life-size cement sheep that Percy recognized as the work of Medusa. There were collections of sheep T- shirts; large tubs of lanolin cream; and wooly coats, socks, and hats with ram's horns. While they were ruffling through, Gohan had a memory flash.

"The compass!" he cried. Percy looked at him in confusion.

"That compass! It can lead us to Grover!" Percy felt like an idiot for not remembering it sooner. He yanked the Wayfinder's Compass out of his pocket and opened it. The needle was pointing left.

"Come on!" thanks to the compass, navigating the vast maze of the cave was much easier, Percy leading Gohan through curve after bend.

"Man, this sure is easy." Gohan commented.

"Yeah. I don't think we can ever get lost with this thing."

Finally, they found the spinning room, where Grover was huddled in the corner, trying to cut Clarisse's bonds with a pair of safety scissors.

"It's no good," Clarisse said. "This rope is like iron!"

"Just a few more minutes!"

"Grover," she cried, exasperated. "You've been working at it for almost fifteen minutes!"

"Hey!" Percy cried, causing them to whirl towards him.

"Percy?" Clarisse said. "You're supposed to be blown up!" Clarisse glared at Gohan

"Why is he not a pile of ashes?" she snarled. Gohan rolled his eyes.

"Good to see you, too. Now hold still while I—"

"Perrrrrcy!" Grover bleated and tackled him with a goat-hug. "You heard me! You came!" Gohan looked like he wanted to howl with laughter at how silly Grover looked.

"This day is full of weddings, isn't it?" Grover and Clarisse looked annoyed.

"Not funny!" they roared in unison.

"Not the time! Clarisse, hold still."

Percy uncapped Riptide and sliced off her ropes. She stood stiffly, rubbing her wrists. She glared at him for a moment, then looked at the ground and mumbled, "Thanks."

"You're welcome," Percy said. "Now, was anyone else on board your lifeboat?"

Clarisse looked surprised. "No. Just me. Everybody else aboard the Birmingham ... well, I didn't even know you guys made it out."

"Can we focus on beating the Cyclops?" Clarisse snorted.

"You're a fool if you think I'll ever fight alongside you."

"Seriously? I'm starting to get really sick of this!" Gohan snarled.

"You humiliated not just me, but the name of Ares! You embarrassed us, stole-" Gohan snapped.

"You want the shield back? Here! Take it!" Gohan held up the waistband, which glowed and transformed in the shimmering shield." Clarisse looked at it with a look of disbelief on her face.

"Come on. We have to help—"

An explosion echoed through the cave, followed by a scream that told him they might be too late. It was Annabeth crying out in fear.


	22. Showdown with Polyphemus!

**Hi everybody! Here's the next chapter, enjoy! And don't forget to keep voting on my poll! At the moment, Sadie Kane has taken the lead, with Annabeth in second and Thalia trailing at third!**

Gohan moved faster than light itself. At least, that's how it looked from Percy's perspective. One minute, Gohan was there. The next, he was gone. He rocketed through the tunnels like a bullet, following the cry of Annabeth's voice. His body shimmered as blue energy glowed around him, glowing like a firework. His entire mind was filled with nothing but blind rage.

"I got Nobody!" Polyphemus gloated.

The Cyclops, grinning wickedly, holding up empty air. The monster shook his fist, and a baseball cap fluttered to the ground. There was Annabeth, hanging upside down by her legs.

"Hah!" the Cyclops said. "Nasty invisible girl! Already got feisty one for wife. Means you gotta be grilled with mango chutney!"

Annabeth struggled, but she looked dazed. She had a nasty cut on her forehead. Her eyes were glassy.

"LET HER GO!" Gohan roared with rage. He smashed out of the cave and slammed into the monster's chest. His eye bulged as the breath rushed out of his body. He let out a loud roar of rage as he flew back like a ball, smashing into a large mass of rocks. Annabeth fell like a stone, landing limply into Gohan's waiting arms. Her eyes blinked groggily. When she focused on Gohan, a small smile formed on her face.

"Hey, Gohan… you find Grover?"

"What were you thinking? I should have been with you!" he cursed as he wiped at Annabeth's cut.

"I told you… Athena… always has a plan." Gohan's eyes narrowed as a loud roar echoed. The Cyclops had recovered. He shot back to the cave entrance just as Percy, Grover, and Clarisse emerged.

"She took a hit." The Cyclops roared again.

"More food! Wedding feast!"

"I'll rush him," Gohan spoke. "Our ship is around the back of the island. You guys take Annabeth. I can handle this guy—"

"No way," they said at the same time. Clarisse had armed herself with a highly collectible rams-horn spear from the Cyclops's cave. Grover had found a sheep's thigh bone, which he didn't look too happy about, but he was gripping it like a club, ready to attack. Percy raised Riptide, which shimmered.

"We'll take him together," Clarisse growled.

"Yeah," Grover said. Then he blinked, like he couldn't believe he'd just agreed with Clarisse about something.

"I think you'll need this." Gohan once again raised Ares' shield hand and held it out to Clarisse. She gave Gohan a baffled look.

"No tricks. Take it." Another roar from the Cyclops snapped Clarisse out of her daze, and she took the shield from Gohan, sliding it onto her left arm. The steel boar seemed to gleam in the sunlight. Gohan could have sworn that the eyes glowed red.

"Grover. Stay with Annabeth and keep her safe. She's too injured to move." Gohan ordered. Grover gave a nervous bleat.

"But-" he was silenced by a terrifying glare from Gohan.

"Grover. Stay with her." It was Percy who spoke this time. Grover almost looked relieved as he nodded, and took Annabeth from Gohan, scurrying back. Percy had to agree with Gohan's logic: Grover might be more of a hindrance in this fight.

"All right," Gohan said. "Attack plan Macedonia."

They nodded. They all taken the same training courses at Camp Half-Blood. They knew what he was talking about. They would sneak around either side and attack the Cyclops from the flanks while Gohan held his attention in the front. Gohan clenched his fists and let out a roar as blue fire erupted from around him.

Gohan raised his arms and shouted, "Hey, Ugly!" he fired off several bright blue blasts, which slammed into the cyclops with a massive explosion. The Cyclops burst through the smoke, unharmed.

"Another one? Who are you?"

"That would take a few minutes, and I doubt that you have the brainpower to comprehend me! I think the term Nobody will work here."

"You are Nobody?"

"That's right, you mindless, single brain celled buffoon!" Gohan had to admit that Annabeth had better insults then he did.

"I'm Nobody and I'm proud of it! Now, put her down and get over here. I want to stab your eye out again."

"RAAAR!" he bellowed. Polyphemus barreled toward them, a thousand smelly pounds of Cyclops. Instead of feeling afraid, Gohan simply smiled. He wanted a fight. Gohan roared as he shot straight towards the Cyclops, flipping over one large fist to squarely kick him in the nose with both feet. The monster roared in pain as golden ichtor poured from his nose, causing him to stumble. Clarisse ran in from the left and set her spear against the ground just in time for the Cyclops to step on it. He wailed in pain, and Clarisse dove out of the way to avoid getting trampled. But the Cyclops just plucked out the shaft like a large splinter and kept advancing. Gohan fired several bright yellow ki blasts, which exploded on the monster's back. Gohan wasn't necessarily going for the kill right there, but it served more to gain the monster's attention, which work. He roared with rage as he whirled to face Gohan. While he was distracted, Percy moved in with Riptide. As Gohan leaped out of the way, Percy stabbed the Cyclops in the thigh. Gohan had expected the monster to disintegrate, but he simply roared in pain. Percy ran back just in time to avoid the Cyclops's meaty fist. Unfortunately, this monster was much too big and powerful.

Gohan had to admit, Clarisse was brave. She charged the Cyclops again and again. He pounded the ground, stomped at her, grabbed at her, but she was too quick. And as soon as she made an attack, he followed up by blasting the monster in the toe or the ankle or the hand. Percy kept jabbing from afar. Gohan roared as he shot forward, punching the monster in the eye. He cried in agony as he stumbled back, more golden ichtor pouring out of his eye. Gohan groaned as he flew back, his hands covered in eye goop. As the monster reached up towards him, Gohan shot downwards and pulled Ascension, slashing across the Cyclops' chest. The monster howled in agony as blue sparks danced across his body, causing him to spasm.

Out of the corner of his eye, Gohan saw Grover carrying Annabeth across the rope bridge. That would not have been his first choice. He would have preferred hiding her in the cave, especially given the carnivorous sheep. But, he had to be careful to ensure no one was accidentally killed. Then, an idea came to him,

"Fall back! I'll be right behind you!" Gohan roared.

Clarisse rolled away as the Cyclops's fist smashed the olive tree beside her.

They ran for the bridge, with Polyphemus right behind them. He was cut up and hobbling from so many wounds.

"Grind you into sheep chow!" he promised. "A thousand curses on Nobody!"

"Curse this!" Gohan flipped onto the ground and shot upwards, flying straight up like a bullet. He grunted as his hands sunk into the monster's skin like putty. The monster roared in rage as he tried to swing at Gohan, but Gohan was too small for him to grab. Slowly, the mass rose into the air, flying higher and higher into the air

"We might want to back up." Percy warned Clarisse.

They tore down the hill. The bridge was their only chance. Grover had just made it to the other side and was setting Annabeth down. They had to get away, before Gohan dropped him. Gohan continued to fly higher and higher, until the island was a dot beneath them.

"Stupid Nobody! CRUSH YOU!"

"No. You won't." Then, Gohan flipped in midair and let go. The Cyclops let out a roar of mixed shock and rage as he plummeted downwards like a rock, his arms and legs flailing.

"Heh." Gohan smirked.

"Incoming!" Percy yelled as he pointed upwards. They stopped in the middle of the bridge and looked up, then covered their faces as the Cyclops crashed into the rocks with a seismic thud, sending up a cloud of dust and debris a mile wide. The impact was so hard that the ground shook briefly like an earthquake, causing the sheep to bray nervously and ruffle, almost starting a stampede. A second later, Gohan landed next to Grover, a goofy expression on his face.

"And that's how it's done." He clapped his hands free of dust.

"You like to drop people from the atmosphere, don't you?" Percy called out. He was careful not to mention Ares, given that Clarisse was right next to them, but Gohan got it.

"Always use your environment to your advantage. And in this case, gravity is my friend."

"If you boys are done arguing, we must recover the Fleece." Clarisse gestured at the Fleece, which glittered in the branches. She clenched the bridge roes as it swayed.

"There's still the piranha sheep." Percy pointed out. Gohan was about to make a suggestion, but those ideas were wiped like marker from a board when he saw Annabeth, lying limp in Grover's arms. She was almost as pale as a ghost, white as chalk. Her hairline was sticky with blood. Her breath was faint.

"Annabeth… come on!" Gohan rested his hand on her forehead. It faintly glowed yellow.

"What are you doing?" Clarisse yelled.

"Trying to heal her with my energy. Something a few people can do in my world, invigorating one's depleted body with someone else's." as he spoke, a small amount of color return to Annabeth, but not much.

"Dammit… Dende's the healer, not me." Gohan snarled. Then, a loud roar shocked them all. They whirled to see the Cyclops standing on the opposite end of the bridge, looking EXTREMELY angry. Golden ichtor was pouring from at least two dozen cuts on his body, including his eye.

"Seriously?" Percy sputtered.

"I'll say this, he sure is durable."

"NO WEDDING FEAST! NO MANGOS! KILL NOBODIES, EAT SAYTR, GET MARRIED! BOOM BOOM! BOOM BOOM!" Grover whimpered.

"What does boom boom mean?" Gohan asked.

"I have several ideas. You don't want to know any of them." Grover answered. Then, the Cyclops roared as he stormed the bridge, which shook under his weight.

"RUN!" Gohan roared. Clarisse and Percy didn't need any encouragement, sprinting immediately towards Gohan and Grover, all the while trying to keep their balance from all the shaking caused by the Cyclops.

"Cut it!" Clarisse roared. Gohan pulled out Ascension.

"Grover!" Percy yelled. "Get Annabeth's knife!"

"But-"

"DO IT!"

Grover began sawing at the ropes. Gohan simply raised Ascension and sliced cleanly through the first strand on the left, causing it to fly away with a loud snap. The bridge shook even more. Percy almost fell off, but managed to catch himself at the last minute.

The ropes were now half cut. Clarisse and Percy dove for solid ground, landing beside Grover. Gohan raised his hand as a glowing disk formed and hurled it, sending it flying two inches past Percy's face and right through the ropes. The bridge fell away into the chasm, and the Cyclops howled ... with delight, because he was standing right next to them. Gohan grumbled in frustration.

"Failed!" he yelled gleefully. "Nobody failed!"

Clarisse and Grover tried to charge him, but the monster swatted them aside like flies, even in his battered state. Gohan sighed in exasperation as he raised Ascension and stepped forward.

"I'm so sick of this." He cursed as sparks danced across the blade. He leaped at the Cyclops. The monster roared as it reached for him. But then, as Gohan was inches away, he fired off a bight yellow ki blast which hit the Cyclops right in the eye. He let out a bellow of pain as he stumbled back. In that millisecond that the monster was unfocused, Gohan brought his sword down, right through the monster's right arm. A screech of horrid pain shot into the air. The arm toppled into the chasm as Polyphemus stumbled to the side, golden ichtor dripping from his new stump.

"RAHHHH-" the monster was cut off by Gohan punching him in the chest. He whirled to face Gohan, but fell back when Percy slashed him in the back of the knees. The two traded a look and silently nodded. They then charged him and attacked from opposite sides. Gohan jabbed the Cyclops in the belly. When he doubled over, Percy smacked him in the back with the hilt of his sword. They slashed and kicked and bashed until Gohan flipped up behind the monster's head and kicked downwards, sending him sprawling. When the smoke cleared, Polyphemus was sprawled on his back, dazed and groaning, and Percy was standing above him, the tip of his sword hovering over his eye, while Gohan's hands sparked as his body glowed blue. Together, they looked terrifying. Clarisse and Grover had looks of awe on their faces.

"Uhhhhhhhh," Polyphemus moaned.

"Wow!" Grover gasped. "How did you—"

"Please, noooo!" the Cyclops moaned, pitifully staring up at them. His nose was bleeding. A tear welled in the corner of his half-blind and scorched eye. "M-m-my sheepies need me. Only trying to protect my sheep!"

"You tried to eat my friends! You tried to marry Grover and Clarisse! And that's not even counting the tons of other heroes and satyrs you've lured here and killed!"

He began to sob. Gohan had to admit that was something he hadn't expected. The last thing he had expected to feel for this monster was… pity. "Kill him!" Clarisse yelled. "What are you two waiting for?" Percy's reasons for holding back were, admittingly, different than Gohan's.

To Percy, The Cyclops sounded so heartbroken, just like ... like Tyson.

"He's a Cyclops!" Grover warned. "Don't trust him!"

Percy knew he was right. He knew Annabeth would've said the same thing if she was conscious.

But Polyphemus sobbed ... and for the first time it sank in that he was a son of Poseidon, too. Like Tyson. Like himself. How could he just kill him in cold blood? Gohan sighed as he mulled over his own personal dilemma. He had already taken one of this monster's hands.u

"This would be so much easier if I was ascended." He thought regrettably. Ares had been different. He was a god, so he couldn't have been killed, and thus Gohan hadn't had to hold back. But was this so different? His thoughts strayed to his friends. Piccolo and Vegeta would have annihilated this Cyclops without a second thought. His father, on the other hand, would have let him go. To be fair, that had both worked in his favor and against him at times.

"This guy's a monster, right? So that means that he'll regenerate eventually. So, we're not really killing him permanently." Gohan suggested. Percy sighed.

"We only want the Fleece," Percy told the monster. "Will you agree to let us take it?" "No!" Clarisse shouted. "Kill him!"

The monster sniffed. "My beautiful Fleece. Prize of my collection. Take it, cruel human. Take it and go in peace."

"You promise?" Gohan asked. The monster nodded

"We're going to step back slowly," Percy told the monster. "One false move ..."

Polyphemus nodded like he understood.

Percy stepped back ... and as fast as a cobra, Polyphemus smacked him to the edge of the cliff.

"Foolish mortal!" he bellowed, rising to his feet. "Take my Fleece? Ha! I eat you first." Gohan roared as a golden glow surrounded him. He raised his fist and fired a massive yellow blast, which shot clean through Polyphemus' chest. His roar cut off as a look of disbelief came over his face, and then let out a howl of complete agony. He opened his enormous mouth. Then something went whoosh over theirs head and thump! A rock the size of a basketball sailed into Polyphemus's throat—a beautiful three-pointer, nothing but net. The Cyclops choked, trying to swallow the unexpected pill. He staggered backward, but there was no place to stagger. His heel slipped, the edge of the cliff crumbled, and the great Polyphemus made chicken wing motions that did nothing to help him fly as he tumbled into the chasm.

"Who?" Gohan thought in confusion

Halfway down the path to the beach, standing completely unharmed in the midst of a flock of killer sheep, was an old friend.

"Bad Polyphemus," Tyson said. "Not all Cyclopes as nice as we look."

"We'll, I'll be damned!" Gohan laughed while a look of immense relief formed on Percy's face.

Tyson gave them the short version: Rainbow the hippocampus—who'd apparently been following them ever since the Long Island Sound, waiting for Tyson to play with him—had found Tyson sinking beneath the wreckage of the CSS Birmingham and pulled him to safety. He and Tyson had been searching the Sea of Monsters ever since, trying to find them, until Tyson caught the scent of sheep and found this island.

Percy wanted to hug the big oaf, except he was standing in the middle of killer sheep. "Tyson, thank the gods. Annabeth is hurt!"

"You thank the gods she is hurt?" he asked, puzzled.

"No!" Gohan knelt beside Annabeth and was worried sick by what he saw. The little boost he had given her had long since gone. The gash on her forehead was worse than he'd realized. Her skin was pale and clammy.

Just then, an idea formed. "Tyson, the Fleece. Can you get it?" Percy asked

"Which one?" Tyson said, looking around at the hundreds of sheep. "In the tree!" Gohan yelled. "The gold one!"

"Oh. Pretty. Yes."

Tyson lumbered over, careful not to step on the sheep. If any of them had tried to approach the Fleece, they would've been eaten alive, but the flock didn't bother him at all. They just cuddled up to him and bleated affectionately, as though they expected to get sheep treats from the big wicker basket. Tyson reached up and lifted the Fleece off its branch. Immediately the leaves on the oak tree turned yellow. Tyson started wading back toward them, but Percy yelled, "No time! Throw it!"

The gold ram skin sailed through the air like a glittering shag Frisbee. Gohan caught it with a grunt.

"Ow!" he grunted as he was crushed under a layer of wool. It was heavier than he'd expected—sixty or seventy pounds of precious gold wool. Percy yanked it off him and it over Annabeth, covering everything but her face, and prayed silently to all the gods, even the ones I didn't like.

Please. Please. Gohan was nervousl He would prefer a sensu bean right about now. Much more reliable.

The color returned to her face. Her eyelids fluttered open. The cut on her forehead began to close. She saw Grover and said weakly, "You're not... married?"

Grover grinned. "No. My friends talked me out of it." "Annabeth," Percy said, "just lay still."

But despite their protests she sat up, and the cut on her face was almost completely healed. She looked a lot better. In fact, she shimmered with health, as if someone had injected her with glitter.

"Man, this thing sure works wonders." Gohan commented with an amused grin.

"Nice to see that you're not crushed to pieces, Muscle-head." Annabeth replied with an amused grin.

Meanwhile, Tyson was starting to have trouble with the sheep. "Down!" he told them as they tried to climb him, looking for food. A few were sniffing in Percy's direction. "No, sheepies. This way! Come here!"

They heeded him, but it was obvious they were hungry, and they were starting to realize Tyson didn't have any treats for them. They wouldn't hold out forever with so much fresh meat nearby.

"We have to go," I said. "Our ship is..." The Queen Anne's Revenge was a very long way away. The shortest route was across the chasm, and we'd just destroyed the only bridge. The only other possibility was through the sheep.

"Tyson," I called, "can you lead the flock as far away as possible?" "The sheep want food."

"I know! They want people food! Just lead them away from the path. Give us time to get to the beach. Then join us there."

Tyson looked doubtful, but he whistled. "Come, sheepies! Um, people food this way!" He jogged off into the meadow, the sheep in pursuit.

"Keep the Fleece around you," Percy told Annabeth. "Just in case you're not fully healed yet. Can you stand?"

She tried, but her face turned pale again. "Ohh. Not fully healed."

Clarisse dropped next to her and felt her chest, which made Annabeth gasp.

"Ribs broken," Clarisse said. "They're mending, but definitely broken."

"I'm not perfect, but this should speed up the process.

"How can you tell?" I asked.

Clarisse glared at me. "Because I've broken a few, runt! I'll have to carry her." Gohan stepped next to Clarisse and replaced Clarisse's hand with his, and concentrated. A second later, a warm gold light appeared around his hands again.

"This should speed up the process a little bit. I'm not perfect, but it should work just fine."

Before Percy could argue, Gohan picked up Annabeth like a sack of flour and carried her down to the beach, taking careful care not to bump into anything. Grover, Percy, and Clarisse followed.

As soon as they got to the edge of the water, Percy concentrated on the Queen Anne's Revenge. He willed it to raise anchor and come to him. After a few anxious minutes, they saw the ship rounding the tip of the island.

"Incoming!" Tyson yelled. He was bounding down the path to join them, the sheep about fifty yards behind, bleating in frustration as their Cyclops friend ran away without feeding them.

"They probably won't follow us into the water," Perc told the others. "All we have to do is swim for the ship."

"With Annabeth like this?" Clarisse protested.

"No. I'll fly her. The rest of you can swim, it's not that far." Percy nodded

"We'll be right behind you. We can make it." Gohan, still crading Annabeth like a baby, shot into the air, flying towards the ship in a golden arch. Percy was starting to feel confident again. He was back in my home turf—the sea. "Once we get to the ship, we're home free."

They were just wading past the entrance to the ravine, when we heard a tremendous roar and saw Polyphemus, scraped up, amputated and bruised but still very much alive, his baby-blue wedding outfit in tatters, not to mention the large smoking hole in his chest that made him look like swiss cheese, splashing toward them with a boulder in his one remaining hand. The other was still gushing golden ichtor.

"Seriously?" Percy roared in exasperation.

"Gohan blasted a hole in him, and he's still coming!" Grover screamed.

"He's durable." Clarisse admitted with a bit of intrigue.

"You'd think he'd run out of rocks," Percy muttered. "Swim for it!" Grover said.

He and Clarisse plunged into the surf.

But the monster's attention wasn't on them.

"You, young Cyclops!" Polyphemus roared. "Traitor to your kind!"

Tyson froze.

"Don't listen to him!" Percy pleaded. "Come on."

Tyson turned and faced the older Cyclops. "I am not a traitor."

"You serve mortals!" Polyphemus shouted. "Thieving humans!" Polyphemus threw his first boulder. Tyson swatted it aside with his fist. "Not a traitor," Tyson said. "And you are not my kind."

"Death or victory!" Polyphemus charged into the surf, but his foot was still wounded. He immediately stumbled and fell on his face. That would've been funny, except he started to get up again, spitting salt water and growling.

"Percy!" Clarisse yelled. "Come on!"

They were almost to the ship with the Fleece. If he could just keep the monster distracted a little longer ... and then, just as that thought passed through his mind, a bright yellow blast shot over his head and slammed into the Cyclops' shoulder. He roared as he stumbled back, his stump waving in the air as smoke rose off his shoulder.

"GO!" Gohan's voice roared. They whirled to see him floating above the surf. He unleashed a stream of ki blasts like a machine gun, slamming into the massive cyclops, covering him in waves of smoke.

"GO NOW!" Gohan roared. Percy and Tyson looked at each other and nodded, before turning and running into the surf.

Polyphemus advanced carefully, limping worse than ever. He howled in pain as more blasts slammed into him, forcing him to his knees. Unfortunately, Gohan hadn't sliced off his throwing arm. Somehow, he managed to grab a rock and chuck his second boulder. Gohan's eyes widened as the rock slammed into him, showing him with rubble and sending him into the sea with a massive splash. Percy roared with rage.

Percy willed the sea to rise. A twenty-foot wave surged up, lifting him on its crest. He rode toward the Cyclops and kicked him in the eye, leaping over his head as the water blasted him onto the beach.

"Destroy you!" Polyphemus spluttered. "Fleece stealer!"

"You stole the Fleece!" Percy yelled. "You've been using it to lure satyrs to their deaths!" "So? Satyrs good eating!"

"The Fleece should be used to heal! It belongs to the children of the gods!"

"I am a child of the gods!" Polyphemus swiped at him, but he sidestepped. "Father Poseidon, curse this thief!" He was blinking hard now, like he could barely see, and Percy realized he was targeting by the sound of my voice.

"Poseidon won't curse me," Percy said, backing up as the Cyclops grabbed air. "I'm his son, too. He won't play favorites."

Polyphemus roared. He ripped an olive tree out of the side of the cliff and smashed it where I'd been standing a moment before. "Humans not the same! Nasty, tricky, lying!"

Grover was helping Clarisse aboard the ship. Tyson was almost half-way there.

"Young one!" the older Cyclops called. "Where are you? Help me!"

Tyson stopped.

"You weren't raised right!" Polyphemus wailed, shaking his olive tree club. "Poor orphaned brother! Help me!"

No one moved. Then Tyson turned and stepped forward, raising his hands defensively. "Don't fight, Cyclops brother. Put down the—"

Polyphemus spun toward his voice. "Tyson!" Percy shouted. Then, the water exploded upwards in a massive plume, like a water sprout. It spun in a massive funnel and then exploded outwards, revealing Gohan, fully ascended as a Super Saiyan 2. Hie eyes were narrowed into silts as blue lightning danced across his body.

"Enough." Gohan raised his hand, from which formed a blue ball that grew larger and larger. Percy realized exactly what was going to happen.

"Run." Was all he said to Tyson. He instantly understood. The two of them turned and plunged into the surf.

"I will smash you.'" Polyphemus yelled, doubling over in pain. His enormous hands cupped over his eye. The ball grew larger and larger, now eclipsing Gohan's size.

"Where are you?" Polyphemus screamed. He picked up his tree club and threw it into the water. It splashed off to their right. Percy summoned up a current to carry them, and they started gaining speed. Percy was beginning to think they might make it to the ship, when Gohan fired.

"Duck!" Clarisse roared. The blast rocketed from Gohan's hand and cascaded towards the island, like a falling meteor.

"Hold onto me!" Percy yelled. Tyson complied.

"Rarrr!" Polyphemus picked up a boulder. He threw it toward the sound of Clarisse's voice, but it fell short, narrowly missing Tyson and Percy.

"Run Nobody! Run! I finally beat Nobody! I am greatest! I am the-" he was cut by the ball slamming into the island. Percy didn't see it, but he could see the flash light up the sky. He felt the shockwave next, a force that slammed into him like one of those metal dodgeballs. It ripped him and Tyson out of the water in a wave that crashed into the Queen Anne's Revenge, making it rock back and forth perilously. Clarisse, Grover, and Annabeth were drenched. Percy gasped as he staggered to his feet.

"Gods…" he gaped. The island was… gone. Where it had been, now rested a wide hole, which water was now gushing into like a drain. There was no sign of Polyphemus or his sheep. Percy had a sinking feeling that there were nothing left of any of them, save ashes. The smoke rose above them in the shape of a mushroom cloud, like an atomic bomb. Rubble rained down all around them like rain, mainly pebbles. Clarisse kept her shield raised over her head. Then, a golden light filled the air as Gohan flew down and landed on the deck in front of the others. He took a deep breath as he transformed back to normal.

"Well… that takes care of that." They all boggled at him.

"Dude! That was a little much!" Percy sputtered

"You vaporized the island!"

"Look, guys! We've got the Fleece! Now all we need is to get out of here. The hard part's over!" Just after Gohan finished, a massive boulder fell out of the sky and landed on the right side of the ship, drenching them all in water.

"MOVE!" Clarisse roared. Percy didn't wait, already willing the ship to sail. The ship shuddered under them as it picked up speed, moving faster and faster away from the former island. Boulders fell down all around them, showering the boat with water. Gohan blasted as many as he could, trying to keep the ship safe. But, just as it seemed they were completely out of range, the mother of all boulders fell out of the sky, almost as big as an apartment.

"I've got this!" Gohan yelled as he raised his hands. But he made a mistake. He blasted the rock right through the center, causing it to split into several large fragments. The smoke covered them until it was too late. Then, like so many of the horrible tragedies from his past, he watched helplessly as it sailed over his head and crashed through the deck of the Queen Anne's Revenge. The first smashed into the stern of the deck, completely severing the rudder. The second hit the left side of the ship, smashing off a chunk of railing and several cannons. But the third was the deathblow. It fell right through the middle of the deck, slicing through the wood like a knife through butter, nearly cutting the ship clean in half. Wood shattered as the ship groaned loudly, collapsing into itself. Clarisse and Grover were trapped on the stern, while Percy, Annabeth, Tyson, and Percy were stuck on the bow. Gohan got a crazy idea. Not many people realize that when a ship goes down, it acts like a sinkhole, pulling down everything around it. Clarisse was a strong swimmer, but even she wasn't making any progress. Grover frantically kicked with his hooves. Annabeth was hanging on to the Fleece with her feet while she gripped the railing.

"Hold onto something!" Clarisse roared. The Queen Anne's Revenge creaked and groaned and listed inwards like it was going down a playground slide. Only, this was one slide that none of them wanted to ride.

"I've got an idea!" Gohan shot next to the boat and gripped both sides, grunting as he lifted them up out of the water and pressed them together. It looked like a jagged mess, but at least it wasn't collapsing inwards at the moment. Unfortunately, it was still taking on water, and getting heavier by the minute.

"MOVE! I can't hold this forever!" Clarisse nodded.

"Abandon ship!" she yelled, before leaping off the deck of the ship into the water.

"Come on, goat boy!" Grover looked reluctant, but another shudder from the ship was enough to encourage him to jump. Percy and Tyson went next, with Tyson carrying Annabeth like a bag. They fell in with a massive splash.

"Swim!" Gohan roared. The wood cracked under his fingers. The masts were about to go. They all paddled for dear life. Annabeth was hanging on to the Fleece, which flashed in the water like a wave of new pennies.

Percy cursed, willing the sea to push us faster, but the ship's masts were already going under. Then, a massive crack filled the air as the wood Gohan had been holding snapped away from the ship, sending it plunging into the deep.

"Dive!" Percy told Tyson..

Their friends were sinking fast, trying to swim, without luck, in the bubbly trail of the ship's wreckage. Gohan was flying over like a helicopter, trying to find them.

We need help, Percy thought.

Yes. Tyson's voice, loud and clear in my head.

"Rainbow", Tyson said.

Percy nodded, then closed his eyes and concentrated, adding gus voice to Tyson's: RAINBOW! We need you!

Immediately, shapes shimmered in the darkness below—three horses with fish tails, galloping upward faster than dolphins. Rainbow and his friends glanced in their direction and seemed to read their thoughts. They whisked into the wreckage, and a moment later burst upward in a cloud of bubbles—Grover, Annabeth, and Clarisse each clinging to the neck of a hippocampus. A startled yelp echoed from Gohan, who looked on in surprise.

Rainbow, the largest, had Clarisse. He raced over to them and allowed Tyson to grab hold of his mane. His friend who bore Annabeth did the same for Percy.

They broke the surface of the water and raced away from Polyphemus's island. Gohan followed them from above. Behind them, smoke continued to rise from the hole in the sea. Slowly, water filled the hole, until there was nothing left of the island at all, nothing but the sea.

They skimmed across the sea. It was an odd sight. Three demigods, one Cyclops, and one satyr riding a group of hippocampi, while a half/alien super warrior flew above them, encased in blue flame. "Did it," Annabeth muttered in exhaustion. "We ..."

She slumped against the neck of the hippocampus and instantly fell asleep.

Percy didn't know how far the hippocampi could take them. He didn't know where they were going. He just propped up Annabeth so she wouldn't fall off, covered her in the Golden Fleece that they'd been through so much to get, and said a silent prayer of thanks.

Which reminded me ... Percy still owed the gods a debt.

"You're a genius," he told Annabeth quietly.

Then, he put his head against the Fleece, and before he knew it, he was asleep, too. Gohan watched all this was a look of bafflement on his face. They had done it. The Fleece was theirs, and the Cyclops was no more. They had saved countless future heroes and satyrs from a horrible fate. They now had the means to save Camp.

So… what was still bothering him?


	23. A Navel Duel of Epic Proportions!

"Percy, wake up." Salt water splashed his face. Annabeth was shaking his shoulder. He groaned as he sat up, stretching his cramped limbs.

"Where's Gohan?" Percy asked. Annabeth pointed at the rear of their rise. Gohan was slumped like a bag of potatoes, snoring loudly. He was out cold, and wasn't waking up despite all the water being splashed in his face from the ocean spray.

"Apparently he finally stopped flying halfway through the night, and crashed out on Rainbow."

"He's tired. Battling the Cyclops took a lot out of him." Annabeth nodded.

"He just needs some food and more sleep. Unfortunately, I don't think he'll be getting more for awhile." She pointed. In the distance, the sun was setting behind a city skyline. He could see a beachside highway lined with palm trees, store-fronts glowing with red and blue neon, a harbor filled with sailboats and cruise ships.

"Miami, I think," Annabeth said. "But the hippocampi are acting funny."

Sure enough, their fishy friends had slowed down and were whinnying and swimming in circles, sniffing the water. They didn't look happy. One of them sneezed. Percy could tell what they were thinking.

"This is as far as they'll take us," Percy said. "Too many humans. Too much pollution. We'll have to swim to shore on our own."

None of them was very psyched about that, but they thanked Rainbow and his friends for the ride. Tyson cried a little. He unfastened the makeshift saddle pack he'd made, which contained his tool kit and a couple of other things he'd salvaged from the Birmingham wreck. He hugged Rainbow around the neck, gave him a soggy mango he'd picked up on the island, and said good-bye. Then, Clarisse(a little too eagerly) pulled Gohan off the hippocampi and let him fall into the sea with a loud splash. A second later, his head shout out of the water, causing him to gasp loudly as he flailed for several seconds in complete confusion.

"WHHZAT? WHA-BLUB BLUB BLUB!" Clarisse howled with laughter as Gohan regained his bearings and calmed down. He turned and glared at Clarisse, who simply smirked.

Once the hippocampi's white manes disappeared into the sea, they swam for shore. The waves pushed them forward, and in no time they were back in the mortal world. They wandered along the cruise line docks, pushing through crowds of people arriving for vacations. Porters bustled around with carts of luggage. Taxi drivers yelled at each other in Spanish and tried to cut in line for customers. If anybody noticed them—six kids dripping wet and looking like they'd just had a fight with a monster—they didn't let on.

"So this is Miami? It looked more fun on all those TV shows." Gohan looked around, causing Percy to laugh.

"You mean sandy beaches and hot girls in bikinis? I wouldn't mind that myself." Percy smiled, before getting whacked on the head by Annabeth.

"Is that all you boys look at? Who looks the hottest in a swimsuit?" Clarisse scoffed.

"Men are pigs."

Now that they were back among mortals, Tyson's single eye had blurred from the Mist. Grover had put on his cap and sneakers. Even the Fleece had transformed from a sheepskin to a red- and-gold high school letter jacket with a large glittery Omega on the pocket. Gohan was wearing it now. Annabeth had draped it on him earlier despite his protests by pointing out that he needed to get his strength back. Gohan had to admit, he felt fantastic. Like being wrapped in a warm blanket that was rejuvenating him. It kinda reminded him of Dende's healing. It wasn't working as fast as a sensu bean, but it was definitely doing the trick.

Annabeth ran to the nearest newspaper box and checked the date on the Miami Herald. She cursed. "June eighteenth! We've been away from camp ten days!"

"That's impossible!" Clarisse said. But Percy knew it wasn't. Time traveled differently in monstrous places. "Thalia's tree must be almost dead," Grover wailed. "We have to get the Fleece back tonight."

Clarisse slumped down on the pavement. "How are we supposed to do that?" Her voice trembled. "We're hundreds of miles away. No money. No ride. This is just like the Oracle said. It's your fault, Jackson! And you too, Monkey boy! If you morons hadn't interfered—"

"Percy's fault?! Gohan's fault?!" Annabeth exploded. "Clarisse, how can you say that? You've hated Gohan since the day you've met him! I'm sick of it! By the gods, you are the biggest—" "Stop it!" Percy said. Clarisse put her head in hands. Annabeth stomped her foot in frustration.

"Clarisse," Gohan said, "what did the Oracle tell you exactly?"

She looked up. He thought she was going to tell him off, but instead she took a deep breath and recited her prophecy:

"You shall sail the iron ship with warriors of bone, You shall find what you seek and make it your own, But despair for your life entombed within stone, And fly home with foes, or thus fall alone.

"Ouch," Grover mumbled. "No," Percy said. "No ... wait a minute. I've got it." He turned and stared at…

"Why are you staring at me?" Gohan asked.

"Gohan, it's you. The Oracle was talking about you."

"Come again?" Clarisse asked. The gears were turning in Percy's head.

"Fly home with foes? Clarisse, would you consider Gohan a foe?"

"Is that a trick question?"

"I'll consider that a yes. Gohan, how are you feeling? You back up to full strength?" Gohan nodded.

"For the most part."

"Good. Because you're flying Clarisse back to camp." Clarisse let out a loud choking noise that sounded like she was being strangled, Grover let out a shocked bleat, Annabeth's face looked like that screaming volcano woman, Tyson just looked confused, and Gohan just looked surprised..

"You want me to what now?"

Clarisse said, "You seriously think that'd I—"

"Gohan, you're the only one who can fly. Besides, I can't travel by air. Zeus would blast me into a million pieces. That's what the prophecy meant: you'd fail without friends, meaning you'd need our help. Then, you must fly home with foes. I'd say Gohan fits that description. You hate him. Heck, Ares wants to kill him! Plus, we have no money for a plane. So, there's only one way this goes. Either you and Gohan fly to camp… or none of us get there at all. You have to get the Fleece back safely. It can't be us. Only you two."

Percy could see her mind working—suspicious at first, wondering what trick he was playing, then finally deciding he meant what he said. Gohan just looked… surprised.

"Gohan?"

"I already made my peace with you, Clarisse. Didn't I?" Gohan pointed at the grey bracelet on Clarisse's wrist, which Ares' shield had morphed into after the battle with the Cyclops. Clarisse looked torn, before finally letting out a deep, pent-up breath.

"You can count on me. I won't fail." "Not failing would be good."

"Guys, I can't leave you here alone." This time, Annabeth was the one to step in. She stepped in front of Gohan and glared him right in the eyes.

"Yes. You will. Because you have to. All of camp depends on you." Gohan was torn.

"But-"

"Go. We can take care of ourselves. After all, we are demigods. We'll catch up. But you guys need to go, now." After a tense minute, Gohan finally nodded.

"So… how does this work?" Clarisse asked.

"Normally, I'd carry you by lifting from under your arms. But, this could take a little while. So, hook your arms around my shoulders. Like a piggy-back ride. And you might wanna clench up. Confused, Clarisse reluctantly tucked herself on Gohan's back. She had to squat a bit, since she was taller than him. Frankly, the sight was hilarious.

"Here we go!" Then, they shot off in a bright blue flash, quickly vanishing into the bright Miami sky. In typical Mist style, people didn't freak out when they saw Gohan and Clarisse take off. A few people did let out startled yells, but they seemed more angry than shocked.

"Damn fireworks!" One man cursed.

"Percy," Annabeth said, "that was so—"

"Generous?" Grover offered.

"Insane," Annabeth corrected.

"Don't you believe in Gohan?"

"You're betting the lives of everybody at camp that Gohan and Clarisse will get the Fleece safely back by tonight? What if something happens to them?"

"It's her quest," Percy said. "She deserves a chance." "Percy is nice," Tyson said.

"Percy is too nice," Annabeth grumbled, but he couldn't help thinking that maybe, just maybe, she was a little impressed.

"You're not worried about Gohan, are you?" Annabeth sputtered as her face flushed red.

"No! Of course now, he can take care of himself." Percy had a very solid feeling that she was lying. He found that… frustrating.

"Come on," Percy said. "Let's find another way home." Them, Tyson clapped his hand.

"Metal balloons! Pretty!" Percy and Annabeth gave each other confused looks.

"Tyson, what are you talking about?"

"Those! Metal balloons!" Tyson pointed, and Percy and Annabeth followed his finger to see three floating orbs in the air around them, with the air filled with the sound of mechanical gibberish.

"What are those?" Annabeth asked nervously.

"They look delicious!" Grover suggested. Then, they whirled to face the group, glaring into them with red orbs that eerily reminded Percy of that creepy computer from that space movie.

"Are they staring at us?" Then, one of them fired a red bolt at Percy. He leaped out of the way just in time to avoid a new hole in his head.

"Scatter!" Annabeth cried as she pulled out her knife. Tyson just looked baffled. The other orbs fired blasts as well, leaving smoking holes in the gound. Percy pulled out Riptide just in time to catch another blast, deflecting it into the air. Percy tried to slash one of them, but it shot into the air.

"Tyson! Destroy those things!" Percy yelled. Another blast hit Tyson in the shoulder, who didn't even react.

"Stupid balloons!" Tyson was like a rocket. His arm shot out and grabbed one of the probes, which struggled like a fish in his grasp.

"Stupid balloons! I'll smash you!" Tyson slammed it into the ground, causing it to explode into pieces. He then hurled it like a missile at the second orb, which slammed into each other and exploded in an orange ball. Percy leaped up and sliced the third in half, causing it to fall to the ground in two sparking pieces.

"What are these things?" Annabeth asked. Grover picked up one of the sparking pieces and took a big bite.

"They taste delicious!" Annabeth snatched the other piece away from him.

"Really? You don't know where or what they come from, and you just stick it in your mouth?" she screeched before examining the other piece.

"This design and wiring is incredible! It's more advanced than anything I've ever seen before."

"They kinda look like those probes from Star Wars. You know, Empire Strikes Back?" Annabeth shook her head in annoyance.

"Percy… as idiotic as that sounds, I think you might actually be right."

"These things were spying on us? You think Luke sent them?" That's when Percy turned and found a sword's point at his throat.

"I think I just answered my own question."

"Hey, cuz," said Luke. "Welcome back to the States." Percy wanted to retort, but he was taken aback by Luke's face. The horrified gasps from Annabeth and Grover confirmed he wasn't the only one. The left side of Luke's face looked… horrific. Like someone had tossed acid in his face. His cheek was wrinkled and scarred, and even his earlobe was curled inward like an old book page. His hair was even thinner on the left side.

"Dude, your face looks like something out of a horror movie!"

"What happened to you, Luke?" Annabeth asked with a look of fear on her face.

"Oh, this? A little present from my partner for letting you all escape earlier. But, hopefully he'll heal it once I bring him you."

His bear-man thugs appeared on either of side of them. One grabbed Annabeth and Grover by their T-shirt collars. The other tried to grab Tyson, but Tyson knocked him into a pile of luggage and roared at Luke.

"Percy," Luke said calmly, "tell your giant to back down or I'll have Oreius bash your friends' heads together."

Oreius grinned and raised Annabeth and Grover off the ground, kicking and screaming.

"What do you want, Luke?" Percy growled.

He smiled, the scar rippling on the side of his face, while the left side of his face rose upwards like a smile. He gestured toward the end of the dock, and Percy noticed what should've been obvious. The biggest boat in port was the Princess Andromeda.

"Why, Percy," Luke said, "I want to extend my hospitality, of course."

The bear twins herded them aboard the Princess Andromeda, and threw them down on the aft deck in front of a swimming pool with sparkling fountains that sprayed into the air. A dozen of Luke's assorted goons—snake people, Laistrygonians, demigods in battle armor—had gathered to watch them get some "hospitality." The girl from before was there as well, glaring at them with a look of disgust on her face. There were also several men dressed in black armor, save for an orange bird on the chestplates. Actually, that symbol was all over the boat: a black flag with an orange outstretched bird in the center, expanding like fire.

"What is that symbol?" Annabeth shrugged.

"Looks like a phoenix."

"And so, the Fleece," Luke mused. "Where is it?" He looked them over, prodding Percy's shirt with the tip of his sword, poking Grover's jeans.

"Hey!" Grover yelled. "That's real goat fur under there!"

"Sorry, old friend." Luke smiled. "Just give me the Fleece and I'll leave you to return to your, ah, little nature quest."

"Blaa-ha-ha!" Grover protested. "Some old friend!"

"Maybe you didn't hear me." Luke's voice was dangerously calm. "Where—is—the— Fleece?"

"Clearly, it is not here!" Everyone on the boat stiffened as they turned to look at the upper patio deck, which stretched over the aft deck like a stage. Then… he emerged. It was dressed in the same black cloak as before, covering every inch of its body. Percy didn't feel any less terrified than the last time. He personally wanted to pass out. And he could have sworn that it was taller than last time. Like seven feet tall, or maybe eight. Grover whimpered as the figure finished walking to the railing, overlooking everyone. Red sparks danced over its body as its eyes bore into them like daggers.

"What… is that thing? It smells… wrong!" Grover whimpered.

"Not here," Percy whispered. Percy felt like he(Percy was pretty sure that thing was a guy) could see right through him.

"I see that our mutual friend is not here. The Ares girl is not here. Put it together!" Percy finally took the initiative and spoke.

"I don't know what you're talking about!" almost instantly, two purple beams shot out of the figure's eyes and hit the deck an inch from Percy's feet. Annabeth let out a choked gasp, while Percy just stared numbly at the two flaming holes right in front of him.

"I expect the truth, boy. Otherwise, my next shot goes in your leg. Just because I require you alive does not mean that I require you whole…"

Percy probably shouldn't have told him anything, but it felt good to throw the truth in their faces. "We sent it on ahead of us. You both messed up. Looks like you're not so scary after all."

Luke's eyes narrowed. "You're lying. You couldn't have ..." His face reddened as a horrible possibility occurred to him. "Clarisse? Gohan?"

Percy nodded.

"You trusted ... you gave ... no, that's impossible! They… they despise each other!"

"Yeah." Percy's confidence was quickly cut off by the cloaked figure's laughter. It was one of the most terrifying things he had ever heard.

"Very clever! Though, something well anticipated. By my calculations, they should be just about… over Orlando. You might want to get moving, boy. Or I'll decorate the other side of your face." It took a second for Percy to realize that the figure wasn't talking to him, especially given the pale expression on Luke's face.

"Agrius!" Luke roared.

The bear giant flinched. "Y-yes?"

"Get below and prepare my steed. Bring it to the deck. I need to fly after them, fast.'"

"But, boss—" "Do it!" Luke screamed. "Or I'll feed you to the drakon!"

The bear-man gulped and lumbered down the stairs. Luke paced in front of the swimming pool, cursing in Ancient Greek, gripping his sword so tight his knuckles turned white. The cloaked figure simply looked downwards at them, his fingers drumming on the railing.

The rest of Luke's crew looked uneasy. Maybe they'd never seen their boss so unhinged before. Or maybe they just wanted to stay out of the way of the real boss.

Percy started thinking ... If he could use Luke's anger, get him to talk so everybody could hear how crazy his plans were...

Meanwhile, Gohan continued to speed along like a rocket, Clarisse dug into his body like a vice. The land beneath them was like a blur, a rush of green and building roofs.

"This is insane!" Clarisse screamed, her eyes pressed together like a clenched fist. The rush of wind in her eyes had forced her to keep them closed almost immediately after they had taken off.

"Stop! Just for a second!" she screamed. It took a second for Gohan to hear her with the rushing wind in his ears.

"But we need to get to camp!"

"I need a break! Please! Just for a second." Gohan frowned, but nodded as he plummeted from the sky and landed on the ground, rustling the trees around them like the rush from helicopter blades. Clarisse stumbled off Gohan's back and made several loud heaving noises. He looked around curiously. They were in a swamp, yet again. Not the same one as before. But, it was still a pretty sight. Numerous mangroves were sunk into glittering rivers, and the air was thick and humid. His shirt was pasted to his skin.

"How do you do it all the time? Fly like that?" Clarisse asked, having finally recovered from her flying sickness, though her face was a little green.

"You get used to it." Gohan shook his head as he tested his ki, generating a little yellow ball that he bounced from hand to hand. Clarisse regarded him curiously.

"Don't think this changes anything. Once we return to camp, we are enemies once again." Gohan rolled his eyes.

"Really? Still? I gave you your shield back." Clarisse scoffed.

"It is not my shield, it is my father's!" Gohan sighed

"Man, you Ares campers really remind me of the other saiyans I've met back home."

"Are they all as soft as you?"

"Actually, I'm the exception. In my world, Saiyans actually were some of the most ruthless and bloodthirsty beings in the galaxy. They lived to fight. The ones I fought nearly ripped me apart." Clarisse looked impressed.

"Am I supposed to be flattered?" Gohan sighed.

"Clarisse, I'm one of the only ones left. Most of the saiyans were killed when their leader, Frieza, betrayed them and destroyed their home planet. The few ones left practically wiped each other out."

"Very entertaining story. But my siblings don't slaughter each other. Are you making a point?"

"Because even after they were nearly wiped out, they were so obsessed with their pride and strength that they were blind to what was in front of them. The only reason that I even exist is because my dad smashed his head on a rock when he was a baby and lost his violent impulses."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because you're acting the same way they did. Someone who clutches onto the past so hard they can't see the future. Come on, Clarisse. Can't we put the past behind us?" Gohan held his hand out. Clarisse cocked her head curiously. Then, her eyes widened.

"DOWN!" she roared as she tackled Gohan. A second later, a red bolt shot over them and into a tree, which exploded in fragments.

"What the?" They leaped onto their feet to see two black orbs floating above them, chattering in a robotic tone.

"Move!" they sprang as more red bolts shot out of the orbs, peppering the ground. Gohan landed squarely on his feet and fired a yellow blast, which slammed into one of the drones and exploded. Clarisse faced the second, pulling out her shield and spear in one swift motion. She raised it just in time to deflect another blast. She then hurled her spear, which embedded itself into the drone. It let out a loud screech as sparks shot out of it like a sparkler before collapsing to the ground. Clarisse stepped over it and yanked her spear out.

"What is this thing?" she muttered as she picked it up.

"Looks like a probe." Clarisse cursed angrily as she hurled it.

"We need to get moving. No telling what's coming after us." Gohan had a puzzled expression on his face.

"What? Are you deaf now too?"

"If those things knew how to find us, then they might have found Percy and Annabeth too." Clarisse shook her head.

"Oh no! You are not going back. Try thinking with your brain instead of your lower regions! The quest is too important! If we don't get back to Camp and place the Fleece on Thalia's Tree, we are all doomed!"

"But we can't leave them alone!"

"They're demigods! With a Cyclops and a satyr! They made their own choices. Besides, you can't be in two places at once." That gave Gohan an idea.

"Actually… I can." Then, Gohan pressed his arms together in an X. His whole body began to shimmer and pulse, causing Clarisse to step away nervously. Then… Gohan broke into two Gohans!

"WHOA!" Clarisse yelled in shock as she raised her spear and pointed at one Gohan, then the other in pure confusion. The two Gohans looked at each other.

"Okay… so I'll save Annabeth, and you take Clarisse back to Camp." The left Gohan stated. The right rolled his eyes.

"Ummm… no. You're taking Clarisse back to camp, and _I'm_ going to save Annabeth!" the left Gohan snarled in frustration. Clarisse just watched this with a dumbfounded look on her face.

"Arguing isn't going to solve anything."

"Agreed."

"Rock, Paper, Scissors!"

"Deal!" Both of them raised their hands.

"One, two, three!"

"Paper! Paper!"

"Dang!"

"One, two, three!"

"Rock! Rock!"

"Dang!"

"One, two, three!"

"Oh gods, kill me now." Clarisse moaned as she covered her face.

In the meantime, things were going as well for Percy as one could expect. The cloaked figure turned and looked at him. Percy couldn't help but shudder as a new rash of red sparks danced over his body. The silver girl, Evangeline, looked at him the same way that he had once seen a crocodile eat a zebra on the Discovery Channel. Luke was pacing, looking like he was going to have a heart attack.

"Take them. The rest are unimportant, but I require the son of Poseidon alive… for now. I require him to complete the set. I so look forward to preforming experiments on you. "

Percy swallowed nervously as looked at the swimming pool, at the fountains spraying mist into the air, making a rainbow in the sunset. And suddenly he had an idea.

"You've been toying with us all along," Percy said. "You wanted us to bring you the Fleece and save you the trouble of getting it."

Luke scowled. "Of course, you idiot! And you've messed everything up!"

"Traitor!" Percy dug his last gold drachma out of his pocket and threw it at Luke. As Percy expected, Luke dodged it easily. The coin sailed into the spray of rainbow-colored water.

Percy hoped his prayer would be accepted in silence. He thought with all my heart: O goddess, accept my offering.

"You tricked all of us!" Percy yelled at Luke. "Even DIONYSUS at CAMP HALF-BLOOD!"

Behind Luke, the fountain began to shimmer, but Percy needed everyone's attention on me, so he uncapped Riptide.

Luke just sneered. "This is no time for heroics, Percy. Drop your puny little sword, or I'll have you killed sooner rather than later."

"Who poisoned Thalia's tree, Luke?"

"I did, of course," he snarled. "I already told you that. I used elder python venom, procured straight from the depths of Tartarus by my partner here."

"Stop monologing, boy." The cloaked figure snarled. But Luke ignored him.

"Chiron had nothing to do with it?" Percy pressed

"Ha! You know he would never do that. The old fool wouldn't have the guts."

"You call it guts? Betraying your friends? Endangering the whole camp?"

Luke raised his sword. "You don't understand the half of it. I was going to let you take the Fleece ... once I was done with it."

"You were going to heal Kronos," Percy countered.

"Yes! The Fleece's magic would've sped his mending process by tenfold. But you haven't stopped us, Percy. You've only slowed us down a little."

"And so you poisoned the tree, you betrayed Thalia, you set us up—all to help Kronos destroy the gods. Because that… that thing tricked you!" Percy pointed.

"He didn't make me DO anything! He just helped me achieve what I never could have done on my own!"

"But you did it all?"

Luke gritted his teeth. "You know that! Why do you keep asking me?"

"Because I want everybody in the audience to hear you."

"What audience?"

Then his eyes narrowed. He looked behind him and his goons did the same. They gasped and stumbled back. Except Evangeline. She just looked annoyed.

Above the pool, shimmering in the rainbow mist, was an Iris-message vision of Dionysus, Tantalus, and the whole camp in the dining pavilion. They sat in stunned silence, watching the debacle unfold.

"Well," said Dionysus dryly, "some unplanned dinner entertainment."

"Mr. D, you heard him," Percy said. "You all heard Luke. The poisoning of the tree wasn't Chiron's fault."

Mr. D sighed. "I suppose not."

"The Iris-message could be a trick," Tantalus suggested, but his attention was mostly on his cheeseburger, which he was trying to corner with both hands.

"I fear not," Mr. D said, looking with distaste at Tantalus. "It appears I shall have to reinstate Chiron as activities director. I suppose I do miss the old horse's pinochle games."

Tantalus grabbed the cheeseburger. It didn't bolt away from him. He lifted it from the plate and stared at it in amazement, as if it were the largest diamond in the world. "I got it!" he cackled.

"We are no longer in need of your services, Tantalus," Mr. D announced. Tantalus looked stunned. "What? But—" "You may return to the Underworld. You are dismissed." "No! But—Nooooooooooo!"

As he dissolved into mist, his fingers clutched at the cheeseburger, trying to bring it to his mouth. But it was too late. He disappeared and the cheeseburger fell back onto its plate. The campers exploded into cheering. Percy felt elated for one second, filled with triumph. That, and the campers' cheering quickly vanished when an earsplitting roar ripped into the air, and Percy whirled to see the cloaked figure, its fists clenched and head tilted back, enough for Percy to see the black armor beneath the robes. Then, laughter erupted. Everyone stared in horror at this cloaked, powerful monster that was roaring with laughter, as if it had heard the funniest joke ever. Without missing a tone, it slowly floated into the air and landed on the deck. Luke and the rest of his men backed up, their eyes widened.

"Hmmm… now what are you?" Dionysus spoke up. Percy had actually forgotten that the Iris Message was still playing. Percy had never seen the god look so interested before. The cloaked figure simply raised its hand.

"The symbol of a new era, you drunken joke." Then, it fired a bright purple blast that smashed into the fountain, blowing it apart in a massive blast that sent everyone flying. Percy yelped in pain as he crashed on the wooden floor, his back aching in pain. He started to sit up, but was slammed back to the ground by a hand wrapped around his throat. He was then yanked into the air as he choked, staring down into the figure's red eyes.

"Percy!" Tyson, Grover, and Annabeth raced towards them, weapons raised. Then, something long and thin, like a rocket, whipped out of the cloaked figure's back and smashed across their chests, sending them all flying to the ground. Percy didn't get much of a glimpse of whatever it was, as it had quickly snaked back under the figure's robes. Annabeth drew her knife as she leaped to her feet, but she was quickly stopped by a pair of metal cuffs shot out from Evangeline and wrapped around her hands. Luke gloated as he glared at Percy.

"Kronos was right, Percy. You're an unreliable weapon. You need to be replaced."

Percy wasn't sure what he meant, but he didn't have time to think about it. Luke blew a brass whistle, and the deck doors flew open. A dozen more warriors poured out, making a circle around them, the brass tips of their spears bristling.

Luke smiled. "You'll never leave this boat alive." A glare from the cloaked figure quickly took the pride out of his face, causing him to slowly back up.

"Not yet, boy. I still require him for now." Then, he hurled Percy, sending him tumbling across the deck. Percy immediately leaped to his feet and pulled out Riptide, which caused several of the warriors instinctively backed away from.

"Abby! Stop making me look like an idiot!" one of them snarled.

"Shut up, Mark!" the one on his left hissed. Just then, Agrius, the bear-man, burst onto the deck leading a flying horse. It was the first pure-black Pegasus Percy had ever seen, with wings like a giant raven. The pegasus mare bucked and whinnied. Percy could understand her thoughts. She was calling Agrius and Luke some names so bad Chiron would've washed her muzzle out with saddle soap.

"Sir!" Agrius called, dodging a pegasus hoof. "Your steed is ready!" Luke kept his eyes on Percy. "I told you last summer, Percy," he said. "You can't bait me into a fight." "And you keep avoiding one," Percy noticed. Luke snarled as he stepped forward.

"Enough! Back away, boy! I will deal with Jackson myself!" Luke looked shocked, while his men burst into shocked gasps and whispers as the cloaked figure strode forwards. Apparently, none of them had ever seen Luke's partner fight before.

"Fool. Ares will be like a child compared to my power."

"One on one," Percy challenged. "Let's see what you're really made of." The cloaked figure cocked his head in curiosity as red sparks danced across him.

Luke curled his lip. The soldiers who were about to kill them hesitated, waiting for his order.

"Hmph. Very well." The figure raised its hands. Then, the air shimmered, and two swords appeared in its hands. Both were longswords, with gem-encrusted hilts and gleaming blades. Only, the blades looked… different. One was Celestial Bronze, but the other was a deep gold. Percy had never seen a blade like it before. The cloaked figure gloated as he slid the two blades across each other.

"If only you knew what this blade is, where it came from… shame that the irony of drawing your blood with it will be lost on you." The cloaked figure then held his arms out and glowed. Purple light shimmered off his body which exploded outwards in a massive flash. When the light faded, Percy almost choked. Now, instead of robes, he was staring at an eight foot warrior, covered head to toe in black armor. Only instead of Greek armor, he was wearing medieval armor, complete with a cloak. His helmet looked like something out of a movie, with a narrow visor. Red light lit up the visor, making it look like Robocop. On the sides of the helmet, small wings stretched out.

Percy couldn't see a centimeter of skin at all. Only instead of just black armor, the armor had purple lines crossing all over his body, as well as an orange phoenix spread across his chest. Red sparks danced across his body. In all and all… his opponent looked really, really scary. Like a level 80 Death Knight from World of Warcraft.

"At least give him a shield!" Annabeth cried. Luke simply grinned. "Sorry, Annabeth," Luke said. "You bring your own equipment to this party." Percy swallowed nervously. This was a very bad sign. He should be relived that this guy wasn't using a shield. Fighting one-handed with a shield gave better defense and versatility, while fighting two-handed with just a sword gives you more power. But two handed… it was extremely difficult. First of all, one had to possess two swords that they were extremely well-versed with. You had to account for everything when fighting with two swords: their weight, their balance, how well they respond to changes of guards, how easy it is to track them through cuts and thrusts, and many other subtle variables that were easily missed by people with no swordsmanship training whatsoever. Relying too much on one sword could leave you open and get the other one knocked out your hand. But, if one could master it... they could be extremely deadly. It was much easier to focus on one sword than two, after all. There are more moves, more options, more ways to kill. Percy thought back to Chiron, who'd told him to stay at camp no matter what, and learn to fight. Now Percy was going to pay for not listening to him.

"Not my normal style of fighting… but I've learned quite a few skills in my time here." The cloaked figure mused as it tapped the blades together. Then, it vanished. Percy looked around in confusion. The cloaked figure reappeared right in front of him and swung downwards. His senses barely managed to save him. He ducked and swung with Riptide, but Riptide was caught by the golden blade, which sent sparks into the air. Percy stepped back and assumed a new stance. His opponent seemed to smile, and then gestured with the Celestial Bronze sword. Percy lunged and feinted downwards, but was parried away again. Percy grunted as he charged and jabbed over and over again. But his opponent wasn't fazed in the slightest. He dodged, ducked, and weaved around Percy like he was nothing, blocking him with his blades like hitting tennis balls with a racket.

"Are you done?" Percy panted as he glared at Luke's partner. Percy didn't answer.

"My turn." He lunged and almost killed Percy on the first try. His left sword went under his arm, slashing through his shirt and grazing his ribs. The second sword curved upwards, gazing Percy's face. He stumbled back in pain, his face aching with stabbing pain. Percy raised his free hand to his cheek and lowered it to see blood.

"Percy!" Annabeth's shout alerted him just in time to avoid the next swing. He jumped back, then counterattacked with Riptide, but his opponent was ready for him. He aimed downwards and caught Riptide with both his swords in an X, trapping Percy's blade to the deck. It was so strong that the swords went through the actual wood, until there was nothing showing but the hilts. Percy grunted as he tried to pull Riptide free, but no dice. Percy glared upwards, just in time to see a red blast shoot out of the visor and slam into his chest. The breath blew out of Percy's body as he skidded away. He groaned as he sat up to see his opponent pull his swords out of the deck and turn to face Percy.

"My, Percy," Luke gloated. "You're out of practice." He looked like a kid in a candy store. Percy quickly took in his options. He had lost Riptide, which was sitting on the deck far out of his reach. It would return to his pocket again. But he might be in pieces by then.

Luke's partner came at Percy again with a swipe to the head. Percy ducked and ran.

The cut on his ribs stung, and his heart was racing. In desperation, Percy jumped into the swimming pool and felt a surge of strength. He spun underwater, creating a funnel cloud, and blasted out of the deep end, straight at Luke's partner's face. The water smashed into his face. Percy yelled as he continued to blast, until the pool was completely empty. He panted as the steam from the pool settled… to reveal the partner completely unfazed, still standing in the same spot as before.

"Is that all you've got? Although, I do admit, my armor needed a cleaning." He stretched, the metal joints creaking. He twirled the blades as he stepped towards Percy, twirling the blades, clearly savoring the moment. Percy reached into his pocket and felt the pen there. He quickly pulled Riptide out and attacked, slashing the creature across the chest, but that didn't even faze him. He dropped to a crouch and jabbed at Percy's legs. Suddenly his thigh was on fire, with a pain so intense he collapsed. His jeans were ripped above the knee. Another blast shot out of the creature's visor and slammed into Percy's chest, forcing him to his knees.

"Perrrrrcy!" Grover bleated.

Percy clawed backwards toward the swimming pool, trying hard not to black out. Luke's partner stepped towards him slowly and held up his left hand.

"I expected more from you." A yellow beam smashed into Percy's legs, causing him to howl.

"The son of Poseidon. The one who ruined my plans to send the gods into a civil war. Shame, I thought you would be more… formidable." Then, he swung downwards and knocked Percy's sword out of his hands yet again.

"Hmmmm…" shame that there aren't more of your kind. To think that the fate of your world rests on your shoulders." Luke's partner gestured at something Percy couldn't see. Then, another one of those orbs appeared over his shoulder and floated down to Percy's wound. Percy watched in confusion. But, he quickly realized what was going on when a hydraulic needle popped out of its eye and shot into Percy's arm. He let out a shocked scream as the others looked on in horror, as he saw red blood flow from the needle into the orb. After a minute, the needle retracted, and the orb floated away.

"All too easy."

"One thing I want you to watch before you die, Percy." He looked at the bear-man Oreius, who was still holding Annabeth and Grover by the necks. "You can eat your dinner now, Oreius. Bon appetit." Now Luke looked shocked, but Evangeline looked ecstatic.

"He-he! He-he!" The bear-man lifted Percy's friends and bared his teeth.

That's when all Hades broke loose. A golden orb shot out of the sky and slammed into Luke's partner, sending him flying back with a roar. He crashed into the bridge in a massive plume of smoke. The golden light faded to reveal… Gohan?!

"Hi! I'm back!" he fired a massive bright blast at Luke's warriors, sending them scattering in a massive explosion. Oreius roared as he faced Gohan, who raised his glowing fists. But, Gohan never got the chance.

Whish!

A red-feathered arrow sprouted from Oreius's mouth. With a surprised look on his hairy face, he crumpled to the deck.

"Brother!" Agrius wailed. He let the pegasus's reins go slack just long enough for the black steed to kick him in the head and fly away free over Miami Bay.

For a split second, Luke's guards were too stunned to do anything, struggling to sit up as they watched the bear twins' bodies dissolve into smoke.

Then there was a wild chorus of war cries and hooves thundering against metal. A dozen centaurs charged out of the main stairwell.

"Ponies!" Tyson cried with delight.

Chiron was among the crowd, but his relatives were almost nothing like him. There were centaurs with black Arabian stallion bodies, others with gold palomino coats, others with orange-and-white spots like paint horses. Some wore brightly colored T-shirts with Day-Glo letters that said PARTY PONIES: SOUTH FLORIDA CHAPTER. Some were armed with bows, some with baseball bats, some with paintball guns. One had his face painted like a Comanche warrior and was waving a large orange Styrofoam hand making a big Number I. Another was bare-chested and painted entirely green. A third had googly-eye glasses with the eyeballs bouncing around on Slinky coils, and one of those baseball caps with soda-can-and-straw attachments on either side.

"Disgusting beasts!" Evangeline roared as she raised her hands, sending the metal chairs flying at the centaurs. She was met with two arrows that exploded in her face, showering her with dust that caused her to start sneezing and screaming as she scratched all over her body.

"Oh yeah! Itching powder baby! Kicks like a bitch!"

They exploded onto the deck with such ferocity and color that for a moment even Luke was stunned. Percy couldn't tell whether they had come to celebrate or attack.

Apparently both. As Luke was raising his sword to rally his troops, a centaur shot a custom-made arrow with a leather boxing glove on the end. It smacked Luke in the face and sent him crashing into the swimming pool.

Luke's remaining warriors scattered. Facing the hooves of a rearing stallion is scary enough, but when it's a centaur, armed with a bow and whooping it up in a soda-drinking hat, even the bravest warrior would retreat.

"Come get some!" yelled one of the party ponies.

They let loose with their paintball guns. A wave of blue and yellow exploded against Luke's warriors, blinding them and splattering them from head to toe. They tried to run, only to slip and fall.

Chiron galloped toward Annabeth and Grover, neatly plucked them off the deck, and deposited them on his back.

Percy tried to get up, but he felt like he was on fire. Luke was crawling out of the pool.

"Attack, you fools.'" he ordered his troops. Somewhere down below deck, a large alarm bell thrummed.

Percy knew any second they would be swamped by Luke's reinforcements. Already, his warriors were getting over their surprise, coming at the centaurs with swords and spears drawn. Then, an earsplitting roar erupted into the air, causing everyone to turn to see the bridge explode into shards. Luke's partner floated out of the wreckage, his entire body sparking, still covered in his armor. A bright purple aura danced around his body.

"Di immortales!" Chiron roared as he fired an arrow at Luke's partner, many of his fellow centaurs doing the same. But they bounced off him like rubber bullets.

Tyson slapped half a dozen of them aside, knocking them over the guardrail into Miami Bay. But more warriors were coming up the stairs. And Luke's partner was getting closer, looking extremely angry.

"Withdraw, brethren!" Chiron said.

"You won't get away with this, horse man!" Luke shouted. He raised his sword, but got smacked in the face with another boxing glove arrow, and sat down hard in a deck chair.

A palomino centaur hoisted Percy onto his back. "Dude, get your big friend!" "Tyson! Gohan!" Percy yelled. "Come on!"

Tyson dropped the two warriors he was about to tie into a knot and jogged after them. He jumped on the centaur's back.

"Dude!" the centaur groaned, almost buckling under Tyson's weight. "Do the words 'low-carb diet' mean anything to you?"

Luke's warriors were organizing themselves into a phalanx. But by the time they were ready to advance, the centaurs had galloped to the edge of the deck and fearlessly jumped the guardrail, as if it were a steeplechase and not ten stories above the ground. They plummeted toward the docks, but the centaurs hit the asphalt with hardly a jolt and galloped off, whooping and yelling taunts at the Princess Andromeda as they raced into the streets of downtown Miami. Gohan flew over them like a yellow bullet.

Streets and buildings began to blur as the centaurs picked up speed. It felt as if space were compacting—as if each centaur step took us miles and miles. In no time, they'd left the city behind. They raced through marshy fields of high grass and ponds and stunted trees.

Finally, they found themselves in a trailer park at the edge of a lake. The trailers were all horse trailers, tricked out with televisions and mini-refrigerators and mosquito netting. We were in a centaur camp.

"Dude!" said a party pony as he unloaded his gear. "Did you see that bear guy? He was all like: 'Whoa, I have an arrow in my mouth!'"

"And that hot silver chick! Looked like she was stuck in a barrel full of fleas! Eeek! Eeeek!"

The centaur with the googly-eye glasses laughed. "That was awesome! Head slam!"

The two centaurs charged at each other full-force and knocked heads, then went staggering off in different directions with crazy grins on their faces.

"I like these guys!" Gohan grinned.

Chiron sighed. He set Annabeth and Grover down on a picnic blanket next to me. "I really wish my cousins wouldn't slam their heads together. They don't have the brain cells to spare."

"Chiron," Percy said, still stunned by the fact that he was here. "You saved us."

He gave Percy a dry smile. "Well now, I couldn't very well let you die, especially since you've cleared my name."

"But how did you know where we were?" Annabeth asked.

"Advanced planning, my dear. I figured you would wash up near Miami if you made it out of the Sea of Monsters alive. Almost everything strange washes up near Miami."

"Gee, thanks," Grover mumbled.

"No, no," Chiron said. "I didn't mean ... Oh, never mind. I am glad to see you, my young satyr. The point is, I was able to eavesdrop on Percy's Iris-message and trace the signal. Iris and I have been friends for centuries. I asked her to alert me to any important communications in this area. It then took no effort to convince my cousins to ride to your aid. As you see, centaurs can travel quite fast when we wish to. Distance for us is not the same as distance for humans."

"That's an understatement." Gohan interrupted. Percy and Clarisse boggled at him.

"What?"

"What? What? Aren't you supposed to be with Clarisse? Getting the Fleece to Camp?"

"I am!" then, Gohan yelped and slapped his arm.

"Ow! Stop it Clarisse!" that got confused stares.

"Well, I was worried about Ann- you guys, so I had an idea. There's this technique called the multiform technique, where you can split yourself into multiple forms, each with an individual form and mind. So…" Annabeth figured it out first.

"You split yourself in half. One Gohan went with Clarisse, and the other…" Gohan raised his hand with a goofy grin.

"So what now?" Percy asked Chiron. "We just let Luke sail away? He's got Kronos aboard that ship. Or parts of him, anyway."

Chiron knelt, carefully folding his front legs underneath him. He opened the medicine pouch on his belt and started to treat Percy's wounds. "I'm afraid, Percy, that today has been something of a draw. We didn't have the strength of numbers to take that ship. Luke was not organized enough to pursue us. Nobody won. And then there was that… monstrosity." Annabeth nodded.

"That thing is dangerous. I think it's as powerful as you, Gohan. It took down Percy like he was nothing."

"Gee, thanks Annabeth." Percy winched.

"You think it was Kronos?" Chiron was the one to speak this time.

"No. That… thing was not Kronos. I'm not sure what it was, but I fear that it will be a deadly threat in the future."

"But we got the Fleece!" Annabeth said. "Clarisse is on her way back to camp with it right now with the other Gohan.."

Chiron nodded, though he still looked uneasy. "You are all true heroes. And as soon as we get Percy fixed up, you must return to Half-Blood Hill. The centaurs shall carry you."

"You're coming, too?" Gohan asked.

"Oh yes, Gohan. I'll be relieved to get home. My brethren here simply do not appreciate Dean Martin's music. Besides, I must have some words with Mr. D. There's the rest of the summer to plan. So much training to do. And I want to see ... I'm curious about the Fleece."

Over by the campfire, Tyson let loose with his paintball gun. A blue projectile splattered against one of the centaurs, hurling him backward into the lake. The centaur came up grinning, covered in swamp muck and blue paint, and gave Tyson two thumbs up.

"Annabeth," Chiron said, "perhaps you and Grover would go supervise Tyson and my cousins before they, ah, teach each other too many bad habits?"

Annabeth met his eyes. Some kind of understanding passed between them.

"Sure, Chiron," Annabeth said. "Come on, goat boy."

"But I don't like paintball."

"Yes, you do." She hoisted Grover to his hooves and led him off toward the campfire.

"I'm going to use the bathroom. Wait, do I need to or does he…" Gohan quickly wandered off.

Chiron finished bandaging Percy's leg. "Percy, I had a talk with Annabeth on the way here. A talk about the prophecy."

"It wasn't her fault," Percy said. "I made her tell me."

"I suppose I could not expect to keep it secret forever."

"So am I the one in the prophecy?"

Chiron tucked his bandages back into his pouch. "I wish I knew, Percy. You're not yet sixteen. For now we must simply train you as best we can, and leave the future to the Fates."

"That's what it meant," Percy said. Chiron frowned. "That's what what meant?"

"Last summer. The omen from the Fates, when I saw them snip somebody's life string. I thought it meant I was going to die right away, but it's worse than that. It's got something to do with your prophecy. The death they foretold—it's going to happen when I'm sixteen."

Chiron's tail whisked nervously in the grass. "My boy, you can't be sure of that. We don't even know if the prophecy is about you."

"But there isn't any other half-blood child of the Big Three!"

"That we know of."

"And Kronos is rising. He's going to destroy Mount Olympus!"

"He will try," Chiron agreed. "And Western Civilization along with it, if we don't stop him. But we will stop him. You will not be alone in that fight."

"I'm just a kid, Chiron," Percy said miserably. "What good is one lousy hero against something like Kronos? Or Luke's partner?"

Chiron managed a smile. '"What good is one lousy hero'? Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain said something like that to me once, just before he single-handedly changed the course of your Civil War." Percy shook his head.

He pulled an arrow from his quiver and turned the razor-sharp tip so it glinted in the firelight. "Celestial bronze, Percy. An immortal weapon. What would happen if you shot this at a human?"

"Nothing," Percy said. "It would pass right through."

"That's right," he said. "Humans don't exist on the same level as the immortals. They can't even be hurt by our weapons. But you, Percy—you are part god, part human. You live in both worlds. You can be harmed by both, and you can affect both. That's what makes heroes so special. You carry the hopes of humanity into the realm of the eternal. Monsters never die. They are reborn from the chaos and barbarism that is always bubbling underneath civilization, the very stuff that makes Kronos stronger. They must be defeated again and again, kept at bay. Heroes embody that struggle. You fight the battles humanity must win, every generation, in order to stay human. Do you understand?"

"I ... I don't know." Then, Percy remembered something.

"Chiron, there was something weird back on the boat. That thing I fought, he had two swords. One was celestial bronze, but the other one was… gold. Like the movie. Pure gold. It felt like acid when it touched me. Do you know what it was?" Chiron looked nervous.

"No, Percy. I don't. Perhaps they have acquired metals from other places that we are unaware of." Percy had a very funny feeling that Chiron had just lied to him.

" Because whether or not you are the child of the prophecy, Kronos thinks you might be. And after today, he will finally despair of turning you to his side. That is the only reason he hasn't killed you yet, you know. As soon as he's sure he can't use you, he will destroy you."

"You talk like you know him." Chiron pursed his lips. "I do know him."

"Is that why Mr. D blamed you when the tree was poisoned? Why you said some people don't trust you?"

"Indeed."

"But, Chiron ... I mean, come on! Why would they think you'd ever betray the camp for Kronos?"

Chiron's eyes were deep brown, full of thousands of years of sadness. "Percy, remember your training. Remember your study of mythology. What is my connection to the titan lord?"

"You, uh, owe Kronos a favor or something? He spared your life?"

"Percy," Chiron said, his voice impossibly soft. "The titan Kronos is my father."


	24. A Cog in the Wheel

They arrived in Long Island just after Clarisse, thanks to the centaurs' travel powers. Percy and Gohan rode on Chiron's back, but they didn't talk much, especially not about Kronos.

When they got to camp, the centaurs were anxious to meet Dionysus. They'd heard he threw some really wild parties, but they were disappointed. The wine god was in no mood to celebrate as the whole camp gathered at the top of Half-Blood Hill. Clarisse and the other Gohan had actually arrived about two hours earlier, saving the camp from a massive tarantula. Clarisse had then spent the next half-hour in the bathroom. Apparently, being a passenger on flight Gohan did a serious number on one's stomach. The other Gohan had then proceeded to eat half the food in the kitchen before one of the campers had found him. Needless to say, watching the two Gohan's meet was an interesting sight.

"Well, we did it!" left Gohan had laughed.

"That we did."

"Ready?"

"Yep." They reached out for each other. Then, the left Gohan turned transparent and sunk into the other Gohan, fading away, and leaving one Gohan, getting several surprised yells from other campers.

"Ummmm… Gohan? It is just one of you now, right?" Gohan cocked his head, and then let out a yelp of pain, causing several Apollo campers to rush forward.

"You okay?" Percy asked.

"Y-yeah. Just merging two minds together… not very pleasant. Now I've got two sets of memories for the last day. Anyone got an aspirin?" Needless to say, Gohan's mental dilemma was perhaps one of the least worse injuries at the camp.

The camp had been through a hard two weeks. The arts and crafts cabin had burned to the ground from an attack by a Draco Aionius (which as near as Percy could figure was Latin for "really-big-lizard-with-breath-that-blows-stuff-up"). The Big House's rooms were overflowing with wounded. The kids in the Apollo cabin, who were the best healers, had been working overtime performing first aid. Everybody looked weary and battered as they crowded around Thalia's tree. The moment Clarisse draped the Golden Fleece over the lowest bough, the moonlight seemed to brighten, turning from gray to liquid silver. A cool breeze rustled in the branches and rippled through the grass, all the way into the valley. Everything came into sharper focus— the glow of the fireflies down in the woods, the smell of the strawberry fields, the sound of the waves on the beach. Gradually, the needles on the pine tree started turning from brown to green.

Everybody cheered. It was happening slowly, but there could be no doubt—the Fleece's magic was seeping into the tree, filling it with new power and expelling the poison. Gohan had to admit, he felt really, really good. Like how he had felt like after he and his friends won a nightmarish battle, like the ones against the Saiyans and Frieza. Nothing felt better than a solid, clear, victory. True, the Golden Fleece was no magical dragon that could grant wishes, but it still did a splendid job.

Chiron ordered a twenty-four/seven guard duty on the hilltop, at least until he could find an appropriate monster to protect the Fleece. He said he'd place an ad in Olympus Weekly right away.

In the meantime, Clarisse was carried on her cabin mates' shoulders down to the amphitheater, where she was honored with a laurel wreath and a lot of celebrating around the campfire.

Nobody gave Annabeth, Percy, or Gohan a second look(even though Gohan was the one who had carried Clarisse in.) It was as if they'd never left. In a way that was the best thank-you anyone could give them, because if they admitted that Percy, Gohan or Annabeth had snuck out of camp to do the quest, they'd have to expel them. Gohan was a little sad about that, to say the least. But… he understood. You couldn't always get the glory for the win. And really, Gohan didn't want any more attention. It felt good to be just one of the campers for once. The first thing he did… catch up on filling his stomach. Once again, he went through ten stacks of stored ribs before Silena Beauregard caught him and sent him running while screaming about disgusting table manners. After that, Chiron added two sentries to the kitchen.

Later that night, as they were roasting s'mores and listening to the Stoll brothers tell them a ghost story about an evil king who was eaten alive by demonic breakfast pastries, Clarisse shoved Gohan from behind and whispered in his ear, "Just because you were cool one time, monkey, and you gave me back the shield, don't think you're off the hook with Ares. I'm still waiting for the right opportunity to pulverize you. Same for you, Jackson."

Percy gave her a grudging smile. "What?" she demanded. "Nothing," Percy said. "Just good to be home."

"So, what'd you end up doing with your father's shield?" Clarisse glared at him.

"None of your business." Gohan shrugged before the smell of burning marshmallow made him yelp as he tried to blow out a flaming stick, leaving him with a charred crisp.

"Awww…" Still, Gohan had plenty of fun that night, more specifically when the party ponies crashed the stories.

"Wooooo!" shocked screams erupted when the centaurs stampeded in, waving jugs filled with root beer.

"Party!"

"No one drinks better than us!" Gohan grinned as he sat up.

"I can!" he yelled, getting whoops from the centuars and cheers from the other campers, mainly Apollo, Aphrodite(that one was very likely due to the fact most of the Aphrodite campers had crushes on Gohan), Hermes, Dementer, and Athena campers. Annabeth groaned.

"Please don't do something stupid."

"Too late." Percy grinned. The Stoll brothers dragged a table in front of the fire, and plunked two large glasses onto opposite sides of it, followed by a massive barrel, which they filled the glasses to the brim with, sliding one to Gohan and the other to the lead party pony, Allaris.

"WOOOO! Come on! No one outdrinks me!" He grabbed his glass and downed it in two gulps, wiping his mouth clean with a loud cheer, before head-butting the centaur next to him. Gohan simply rolled his eyes, grabbed his glass, and downed it in one clean gulp, getting one massive cheer from the watching campers.

"I'm the best drinker in the multiverse!" he roared, getting massive cheers and chants.

"GOHAN! GOHAN!" he simply held out his glass and grinned.

"Fill me up, Connor." Travis did the same with Allaris. Both of them downed another glass without a single flinch.

"This is gonna take awhile…" Annabeth sighed. Ten minutes later, they had gone though seventy cups, and three barrels. Gohan looked unphased, while Allaris (finally) looked a little nauseous.

"At this rate, they're going to drink up the camp's entire supply of root beer." Annabeth groaned

"Mr. D can just conjure more."

"DRINK, DRINK, DRINK!" Gohan yet again gulped own his glass in one gulp, getting cheers. Allaris took several small gulps, but then collapsed, the root-beer spilling from his hand. The campers roared in cheers as Gohan raised his glass, rushing him and raising him up on their shoulders. Gohan then let out yet ANOTHER massive burp, looking mortified as he rubbed his stomach.

"Ooops. Excuse me."

The next morning, after Allaris recovered and the party ponies headed back to Florida, Chiron made a surprise announcement: the chariot races would go ahead as scheduled. They'd all figured the races were history now that Tantalus was gone, but completing them did feel like the right thing to do, especially now that Chiron was back and the camp was safe.

Tyson wasn't too keen on the idea of getting back in a chariot after their first experience, but he was happy to let Percy team up with Annabeth. Percy would drive, Annabeth defend, while Tyson and Gohan would act as their pit crew. Gohan was a little sad that he couldn't ride in the chariot again, since it was only two to a chariot. While Percy worked with the horses, Tyson and Gohan fixed up Athena's chariot and added a whole bunch of special modifications.

They spent the next two days training like crazy. Annabeth and Percy agreed that if they won, the prize of no chores for the rest of the month would be split between our two cabins. Since Athena had more campers, they would get most of the time off, which was fine. Personally, Gohan and Percy didn't care about the prize. They just wanted to win.

The night before the race, Percy stayed late at the stables. Percy was talking to their horses, giving them one final brushing, when somebody right behind him said, "Fine animals, horses. Wish I'd thought of them."

A middle-aged guy in a postal carrier outfit was leaning against the stable door. He was slim, with curly black hair under his white pith helmet, and he had a mailbag slung over his shoulder.

"Hermes?" Percy stammered. "Hello, Percy. Didn't recognize me without my jogging clothes?" Percy gulped.

"Oh, listen, Lord Hermes, about Luke ..."

The god arched his eyebrows. "Uh, we saw him, all right," Percy said, "but—" "You weren't able to talk sense into him?" "Well, he tried to get me and my friends sliced up, and then cheered as I almost got ripped to pieces in a duel to the death." "I see. You tried the diplomatic approach."

"I'm really sorry. I mean, you gave us those awesome gifts and everything. And I know you wanted Luke to come back. But ... he's turned bad. Really bad. He said he feels like you abandoned him."

Percy waited for Hermes to get angry.

Instead, he just sighed. "Do you ever feel your father abandoned you, Percy?" Percy inhaled nervously. Hermes continued.

"The hardest part about being a god is that you must often act indirectly, especially when it comes to your own children. If we were to intervene every time our children had a problem ... well, that would only create more problems and more resentment. But I believe if you give it some thought, you will see that Poseidon has been paying attention to you. He has answered your prayers. I can only hope that some day, Luke may realize the same about me. Whether you feel like you succeeded or not, you reminded Luke who he was. You spoke to him." Percy wasn't sure why he said what he said next, but he did.

"Well, my words didn't help much with that partner of his whispering in his ear." Percy had no idea why he was defending Luke. Though, all he was doing was just repeating what Annabeth had said earlier.

"Perhaps one of the greatest weakness we all share is denial. We want to cling to what we know, that the people we know can't really change from how we see them. Clinging to perceptions and ideals so stubbornly that we can't see the truth that's right in front of us… until it's too late." Percy swallowed nervously.

"Who are you referring to?" Hermes gave Gohan a wry smile.

"Perhaps I'm talking about everyone."

"Even gods?" Percy countered.

Hermes shrugged. "Families are messy. Immortal families are eternally messy. Sometimes the best we can do is to remind each other that we're related, for better or worse ... and try to keep the maiming and killing to a minimum."

It didn't sound like much of a recipe for the perfect family. Then again, as Percy thought about his quest, he realized maybe Hermes was right.

In the distance, the conch horn sounded, signaling curfew.

"You should get to bed," Hermes said. "I've helped you get into quite enough trouble this summer already. I really only came to make this delivery."

"A delivery?"

"I am the messenger of the gods, Percy." He took an electronic signature pad from his mailbag and handed it to him. "Sign there, please."

Percy picked up the stylus before realizing it was entwined with a pair of tiny green snakes. "Ah!" Percy dropped the pad.

Ouch, said George. Really, Percy, Martha scolded. Would you want to be dropped on the floor of a horse stable?

"Oh, uh, sorry." Percy didn't much like touching snakes, but he picked up the pad and the stylus again. Martha and George wriggled under his fingers, forming a kind of pencil grip like the ones his special ed teacher made his use in second grade.

"Did you bring me a rat?" George asked. "No ..." Percy said. "Uh, we didn't find any."

What about a guinea pig? George! Martha chided. Don't tease the boy. Percy signed his name and gave the pad back to Hermes. In exchange, he handed Percy a sea-blue envelope.

His fingers trembled. Percy could tell it was from his father. Percy could sense his power in the cool blue paper, as if the envelope itself had been folded out of an ocean wave.

"Good luck tomorrow," Hermes said. "Fine team of horses you have there, though you'll excuse me if I root for the Hermes cabin."

And don't be too discouraged when you read it, dear, Martha told me. He does have your interests at heart.

"What do you mean?" Percy asked. Don't mind her, George said. And next time, remember, snakes work for tips. "Enough, you two," Hermes said before turning back to Percy.

"You should go find your Otherworlder friend before the harpies eat him. He will play a major role in your fate.

"Wait, what?"

"Good-bye, Percy. For now."

Small white wings sprouted from his pith helmet. He began to glow, and Percy knew enough about the gods to avert my eyes before he revealed his true divine form. With a brilliant white flash he was gone, and Percy was alone with the horses.

Percy stared at the blue envelope in his hands. It was addressed in strong but elegant handwriting that he'd seen once before, on a package Poseidon had sent him last summer.

Percy Jackson c/o Camp Half-Blood Farm Road 3.141 Long Island, New York 11954

Before he could open it, though, Annabeth stepped in.

"Hi." Percy was mildly surprised to see her there. Annabeth usually took great care to make sure she was well rested before a big event. Especially given that curfew was very soon.

"How are they doing?" Percy patted the lead pegasus' head. He let out a loud neigh.

"They're excited. Also, he wants to know if you have a carrot."

"Oh. No, I don't. Sorry."

"So… what are you doing out here?"

"I dropped by your cabin, but I only found Tyson. You know where Gohan is?"

"Why?"

"Because I want to plan out our strategy tomorrow. You know where he is?" Percy pondered this for a minute. Gohan usually had a bad habit of sneaking off to train. But then, Percy remembered something.

"I think I know where he is."

Sure enough, they found Gohan sitting in the strawberry fields, munching on a large strawberry.

"Hey." Gohan looked up at them, his face stained with juice.

"Hi." Percy sighed as he sat next to Gohan, ignoring the itch of dirt on his legs. Annabeth did the same.

"It took me a minute to remember. Today's a full year."

"Since we met." Annabeth added. Gohan nodded.

"Yeah. To think I spent my last birthday with my friends and family with impending doom, and I spent this birthday trapped in a sea filled with monsters that wanted to eat me." Percy and Annabeth looked at each other.

"Ummm… happy birthday?" Annabeth slapped him.

"Ow!"

"I'm sorry that I haven't been able to help you get home, Gohan." Gohan gave her a small smile.

"Not your fault. You know, the first thing I remember after I crashed here? Before I blacked out?" They shook their heads.

"You, Annabeth. I remember you standing over me." Annabeth's face turned so red that Percy thought she was a strawberry for a millisecond. Annabeth herself remembered that day extremely well. Percy had just arrived the day before and had been dragged into the camp unconscious. She had just heard about it and gone to see them. But Percy had still been unconscious, so Chiron had sent her away. She had been pissed. So, as she had been storming away from the Big House, she had been snapped out of her thoughts with an earsplitting explosion. Then, a fiery gold comet had shot over the Big House and smashed into the fields with a massive explosion that sent dirt and fruit flying. Chaos had completely broken out, and Annabeth had taken off running towards the plume of smoke. Frankly, she had been hoping for a fight. Back then, she had been much more… reckless would be the proper word. She had half been hoping for some massive monster to fight. She had ignored everyone's cries and jumped into the hole, ready for a fight. What she had not been expecting was a boy her age, lying at the bottom of the crater, his clothes ripped to rags and drenched in blood. Annabeth had actually thought that he was dead at first. She had stood over him curiously and poked him with the hilt of her knife. She had almost had a heart attack when his eyes had snapped open and grabbed her arm, causing her to scream in shock. He had stared at her in confusion.

"Who are you? You're pretty." he had asked, with a baffled expression.

"Who are you, perv!?" Annabeth screamed back, before slugging him in the face, causing him to slump unconscious.

"Annabeth?" she snapped out of the memory and looked at Gohan.

"Oh, sorry. Yeah, I remember that. You said I was pretty. I called you a perv and punched you in the face." Percy snorted.

"I don't remember that."

"To think, just over a year ago, we were all so different. I had no idea I was a demigod, Annabeth was stuck here at camp, and Gohan was in a parallel dimension."

"And here we all are now. Friends." The three friends laughed

"Fate sure is a funny thing, isn't it?"

"You can sure say that again, Annabeth." Gohan sighed out loud as he sat up, rubbing dirt off his arms.

"One year ago, I walked out of my house with my dad, and left to save the world. Today, I have no idea if my mom or any of my friends are okay. And if they're okay, they have no idea if I'm okay. I miss them. A lot." Percy gave Gohan a sympathetic pat on the shoulder. When he thought about it, Gohan was probably holding a lot of his emotions in. Percy remembered how nuts he had gone when his mother had been kidnapped by Hades. And that had only been for a week. Even now, Percy missed his mother. And, it just now occurred to him that Gohan hadn't seen his mother in a _year_. Percy couldn't even comprehend that. Beneath all the power and the bravado, It was easy to forget that Gohan was still just a kid.

"Thanks for coming out here, guys. Honestly, I'm not sure why I came here myself." Gohan sighed as he looked up at the stars.

"The stars sure are pretty tonight, isn't they?" Annabeth nodded.

"Yeah. They really are."

"Thank you guys. For everything. If it wasn't for you… you guys mean more to me than anything." Annabeth gave Gohan a smile as she squeezed his hands. Together, they sat in the dirt and watched the stars.

The next morning, everybody was buzzing about the chariot race, though they kept glancing nervously toward the sky like they expected to see Stymphalian birds gathering. None did. It was a beautiful summer day with blue sky and plenty of sunshine. The camp had started to look the way it should look: the meadows were green and lush; the white columns gleamed on the Greek buildings; dryads played happily in the woods.

As Annabeth and Percy drove onto the track, Percy couldn't help admiring the work that they had done on the Athena chariot. The carriage gleamed with bronze reinforcements. The wheels were realigned with magical suspension so they glided along with hardly a bump. The rigging for the horses was so perfectly balanced that the team turned at the slightest tug of the reins. Gohan watched from the stands with a sad envy. He wished he could be riding out there. But, it was only two to a chariot. And, a lesson Gohan had recently learned was that sometimes, you had to let other people do the job. You can't do everything yourself. Still, he beamed at the chariot. He had done a few things here and there.

They had also made three javelins, each with three buttons on the shaft. The first button primed the javelin to explode on impact, releasing razor wire that would tangle and shred an opponent's wheels. The second button produced a blunt (but still very painful) bronze spearhead designed to knock a driver out of his carriage. The third button brought up a grappling hook that could be used to lock onto an enemy's chariot or push it away. The third acted as a shock staff. It had been Gohan's idea, by siphoning electricity into it from Ascension. It had been a crazy idea to say the least, and it had been a bit tricky to pull off. Needless to say, they had all gotten shocked more than once. They had originally tried to do all three, but the sparks had made the other devices go haywire.

They were all a little wary. The other chariot teams had plenty of tricks up their togas. Just before the match, Tyson walked up to the chariot to give Percy a present.

"Here, brother! For you."

He handed Percy a wristwatch. There wasn't anything special about it—just a white-and-silver clock face, a black leather strap—but as soon as Percy saw it he realized that this is what he'd seen him tinkering on all summer.

Percy didn't usually like to wear watches. Who cared what time it was? But he couldn't say no to Tyson.

"Thanks, man." Percy put it on and found it was surprisingly light and comfortable. He could hardly tell that he was wearing it.

"Didn't finish in time for the trip," Tyson mumbled. "Sorry, sorry." "Hey, man. No big deal."

"If you need protection in race," he advised, "hit the button."

"Ah, okay. And, hey, um, Tyson ..."

He looked at Percy.

"I wanted to say, well ..." Percy tried to figure out how to apologize for getting embarrassed about him before the quest, for telling everyone he wasn't my real brother. It wasn't easy to find the words.

"I know what you will tell me," Tyson said, looking ashamed. "Poseidon did care for me after all."

"Uh, well—"

"He sent you to help me. Just what I asked for."

Percy blinked. "You asked Poseidon for ... me?"

"For friends," Tyson said, twisting his shirt in his hands. "Young Cyclopes grow up alone on the streets, learn to make things out of scraps. Learn to survive." For a split second, Percy remembered Gohan's stories about fending for himself as a kid. It was a rough life.

"But that's so cruel!"

He shook his head earnestly. "Makes us appreciate blessings, not be greedy and mean and fat like Polyphemus. But I got scared. Monsters chased me so much, clawed me sometimes—"

"The scars on your back?"

A tear welled in his eye. "Sphinx on Seventy-second Street. Big bully. I prayed to Daddy for help. Soon the people at Meriwether found me. Met you. Biggest blessing ever. Sorry I said Poseidon was mean. He sent me a brother."

Percy stared at the watch that Tyson had made him.

"Percy!" Annabeth called. "Come on!"

Chiron was at the starting line, ready to blow the conch.

"Tyson ..." Percy said.

"Go," Tyson said. "You will win!"

"Woooo! Yeah! Chariot races!" Gohan cheered

"I—yeah, okay, big guy. We'll win this one for you." Percy climbed on board the chariot and got into position just as Chiron blew the starting signal.

The horses knew what to do. They shot down the track so fast Percy would've fallen out if his arms hadn't been wrapped in the leather reins. Annabeth held on tight to the rail. The wheels glided beautifully. They took the first turn a full chariot-length ahead of Clarisse, who was busy trying to fight off a javelin attack from the Stoll brothers in the Hermes chariot.

"We've got 'em!" Percy yelled, but he spoke too soon.

"Incoming!" Annabeth yelled. She threw her first javelin in grappling hook mode, knocking away a lead-weighted net that would have entangled them both. Apollo's chariot had come up on their flank. Before Annabeth could rearm herself, the Apollo warrior threw a javelin into their right wheel. The javelin shattered, but not before snapping some of their spokes. Their chariot lurched and wobbled. Percy was sure the wheel would collapse altogether, but they somehow kept going.

They urged the horses to keep up the speed, and were now neck and neck with Apollo. Hephaestus was coming up close behind. Ares and Hermes were falling behind, riding side by side as Clarisse went sword-on-javelin with Connor Stoll.

"You're mine!" the driver from Apollo yelled. He was a first-year camper. Percy didn't remember his name, but he sure was confident.

"Yeah, right!" Annabeth yelled back.

She picked up her second javelin—a real risk considering they still had one full lap to go— and threw it at the Apollo driver.

Her aim was perfect. The javelin grew a heavy spear point just as it caught the driver in the chest, knocking him against his teammate. The two Apollo campers screamed as they toppled out of their chariot in a backward somersault, spasming like fish. The horses felt the reins go slack and went crazy, riding straight for the crowd. Campers scrambled for cover. But, Gohan took the initiative.

Gohan shot out and jumped into the chariot, grabbing the reins.

"Come on!" he roared as he pulled. The horses neighed as they turned and galloped towards the cabins, dragging Gohan behind them.

"A little help here? I don't know how to drive this thing!" Gohan screamed as he tugged at the reins. Several campers raced after him, followed by Chiron.

Meanwhile, Percy held his own chariot together through the second turn, despite the groaning of the right wheel. They passed the starting line and thundered into their final lap.

The axle creaked and moaned. The wobbling wheel was making them lose speed, even though the horses were responding to his every command, running like a well-oiled machine.

The Hephaestus team was still gaining.

Beckendorf grinned as he pressed a button on his command console. Steel cables shot out of the front of his mechanical horses, wrapping around their back rail. They chariot shuddered as Beckendorf's winch system started working—pulling them backward while Beckendorf pulled himself forward.

Annabeth cursed and drew her knife. She hacked at the cables but they were too thick. "Can't cut them.'" she yelled.

The Hephaestus chariot was now dangerously close, their horses about to trample them underfoot.

"Shock them!" Annabeth nodded as she reached into a hidden compartment and pulled on rubber gloves, to ensure that she didn't get shocked. Annabeth raised the sparking javelin and brought it down on the cables. Blue electricity shot from the javelin and danced up the cables. The Hephaestus chariot turned into a massive conductor, blue electricity dancing everywhere. Benckendorf's driver screamed as his hair stood on end and blue sparks danced over his body, sending him tumbling out of the chariot spasming. But somehow, Beckendorf stayed on, grabbed the reins and saved the chariot from crashing.

"How?" Percy cried. Beckendorf laughed and waved at them, gesturing with his…

"Rubber gloves! Seriously?!" Annabeth let out a Greek curse as she hurled the javelin, hoping to knock off Beckendorf. But, he managed to duck at the last second.

"Switch with me!" Percy told Annabeth. "Take the reins!"

"But—" "Trust me!"

She pulled herself to the front and grabbed the reins. Percy turned, trying hard to keep his footing, and uncapped Riptide.

He slashed down and the cables snapped like kite string. They lurched forward, but Beckendorf just swung his chariot to their left and pulled up next to them. With one hand, Beckendorf drew his sword. He slashed at Annabeth, and Percy parried the blade away.

They were coming up on the last turn. They'd never make it. They needed to disable the Hephaestus chariot and get it out of the way, but he had to protect Annabeth, too. Just because Beckendorf was a nice guy didn't mean he wouldn't send them both to the infirmary if they let their guard down.

They were neck and neck now, Clarisse coming up from behind, making up for lost time. "See ya, Percy!" Beckendorf yelled. "Here's a little part-ing gift!"

He threw a leather pouch into their chariot. It stuck to the floor immediately and began billowing green smoke.

"Greek fire!" Annabeth yelled.

Percy cursed. He figured they had maybe ten seconds before it exploded.

"Get rid of it!" Annabeth shouted, but he couldn't. Hephaestus's chariot was still alongside, waiting until the last second to make sure their little present blew up. Beckendorf was keeping Percy busy with his sword, which was impressive given that he was still trying to drive the reins. If Percy let his guard down long enough to deal with the Greek fire, Annabeth would get sliced and they'd crash anyway. Percy tried to kick the leather pouch away with my foot, but he couldn't. It was stuck fast.

Then he remembered the watch.

Percy managed to punch the stopwatch button. Instantly, the watch changed. It expanded, the metal rim spiraling outward like an old-fashioned camera shutter, a leather strap wrapping around his forearm until he was holding a round war shield four feet wide, the inside soft leather, the outside polished bronze engraved with designs he didn't have time to examine.

All Percy knew: Tyson had come through. He raised the shield, and Beckendorf's sword clanged against it. His blade shattered.

"What?" he shouted. "How—"

He didn't have time to say more because Percy knocked him in the chest with his new shield and sent him flying out of his chariot, tumbling in the dirt. The chariot let out a loud screeching noise as it rolled, now without anyone to drive it.

Annabeth yelled, "Percy!"

The Greek fire was shooting sparks. Percy shoved the tip of my sword under the leather pouch and flipped it up like a spatula. The firebomb dislodged and flew into the empty Hephaestus chariot, which careened away and exploded in green flames. The metal horses seemed to short-circuit. They turned and dragged the burning wreckage back toward Clarisse and the Stoll brothers, who had to swerve to avoid it.

Annabeth pulled the reins for the last turn. Percy held on, sure they would capsize, but somehow she brought them through and spurred the horses across the finish line. The crowd roared. Just then, Chiron rode up with Gohan, whose face was streaked with grass and dirt. Gohan grinned as he hopped off Chiron and ran up alongside them.

"Hey guys! What'd I miss?" Percy laughed as Gohan hopped off Chiron and ran up to them.

"We won! Plus, you need work on your driving skills!" Annabeth laughed

"Well, I didn't get much practice! I almost drove into the Demeter cabin before Chiron saved me."

"Good thing you didn't, otherwise Katie would have strangled you with vines."

Once the chariot stopped, their friends mobbed the three of them. They started chanting their names, but Annabeth yelled over the noise: "Hold up! Listen! It wasn't just us!"

The crowd didn't want to be quiet, but Annabeth made herself heard: "We couldn't have done it without our friends! We couldn't have won this race or gotten the Fleece or saved Grover or anything! We owe our lives to Tyson, Percy's ..."

"Brother!" Percy said, loud enough for everybody to hear. "Tyson, my baby brother."

Tyson blushed. The crowd cheered.

Annabeth planted a kiss on Percy's cheek. The roaring got a lot louder after that. The entire Athena cabin lifted Percy, Gohan, Annabeth and Tyson onto their shoulders and carried them toward the winner's platform, where Chiron was waiting to bestow the laurel wreaths.

"Hey guys? Let's never do this again." Gohan said, getting howls of laughter in response.

That afternoon was one of the happiest that they'd ever spent at camp, which maybe goes to show, you never know when your world is about to be rocked to pieces.

Grover announced that he'd be able to spend the rest of the summer with them before resuming his quest for Pan. His bosses at the Council of Cloven Elders were so impressed that he hadn't gotten himself killed and had cleared the way for future searchers, that they granted him a two-month furlough and a new set of reed pipes. The only bad news: Grover insisted on playing those pipes all afternoon long, and his musical skills hadn't improved much. He played "YMCA," and the strawberry plants started going crazy, wrapping around everyone's feet like they were trying to strangle them. Gohan's sensitive hearing once again worked against him, causing him to scream as he held his ears until Percy and Annabeth managed to stop Grover.

Grover told Percy he could dissolve the empathy link between them, now that they were face to face, but Percy told him he'd just as soon keep it if that was okay with him. He put down his reed pipes and stared at him. "But, if I get in trouble again, you'll be in danger, Percy! You could die!"

"If you get in trouble again, I want to know about it. And I'll come help you again, G-man. I wouldn't have it any other way."

In the end he agreed not to break the link. There was one other thing bothering him.

"So… does this mean you and Gohan can finally be friends?" Percy asked. Grover shifted awkwardly.

"Grover, come on. Gohan helped save your life! We know who he is now, he's not a threat." Grover was silent as he looked over his pipes.

"Fine. For you, Percy. But he still smells funny." He went back to playing "YMCA" for the strawberry plants. Off in the distance, Percy heard a loud-pitched scream.

"Grover…"

"Sorry."

Later on during archery class, Chiron pulled Percy aside and told him that he'd fixed Percy's problems with Meriwether Prep. The school no longer blamed him for destroying their gymnasium. The police were no longer looking for him.

"How did you manage that?" Percy asked.

Chiron's eyes twinkled. "I merely suggested that the mortals had seen something different on that day—a furnace explosion that was not your fault."

"You just said that and they bought it?" "I manipulated the Mist. Some day, when you're ready, I'll show how it's done." "You mean, I can go back to Meriwether next year?"

Chiron raised his eyebrows. "Oh, no, they've still expelled you. Your headmaster, Mr. Bonsai, said you had—how did he put it?—un-groovy karma that disrupted the school's educational aura. But you're not in any legal trouble, which was a relief to your mother. Oh, and speaking of your mother ..."

He unclipped his cell phone from his quiver and handed it to Percy. "It's high time you called her." Then, a loud crack made them turn to see Gohan fire an arrow from a quiver, which hit a buoy in the middle of the bay and exploded into shards.

"Woo!" Gohan grinned as he lowered his bow. The Apollo campers whistled.

"Percy, talk to your mother while I have a conversation with Gohan about proper stance."

The worst part was the beginning—the "Percy-Jackson-what-were-you-thinking-do-you- have-any-idea-how-worried-I-was-sneaking-off-to-camp-without-permission-going-on- dangerous-quests-and-scaring-me-half-to-death" part.

But finally she paused to catch her breath. "Oh, I'm just glad you're safe!"

That's the great thing about his mom. She's no good at staying angry. She tries, but it just isn't in her nature.

"I'm sorry, Mom," Percy told her. "I won't scare you again."

"Don't promise me that, Percy. You know very well it will only get worse." She tried to sound casual about it, but Percy could tell she was pretty shaken up.

"I could come home for a while," he offered.

"No, no. Stay at camp. Train. Do what you need to do. But you will come home for the next school year?"

"Yeah, of course. Uh, if there's any school that will take me."

"Oh, we'll find something, dear," his mother sighed. "Some place where they don't know us yet." Meanwhile, Gohan was getting chewed out by Chiron.

"Your stance is all wrong. Raise your arms, or you'll slice your hands clean open!" Gohan sighed as he readjusted.

"I'm not really an arrow person. More a sword and fist kinds of guy."

"That does not matter. A good warrior must be well versed in every form of combat. You never know what will save your life in a battle." Gohan tipped his stance and fired, sending the arrow flying clean into the red center of the target.

Percy had to admit, he was enjoying having actual people sharing his cabin with him now, made it feel more lively. But that evening, as Percy and Tyson were sitting on a sand dune overlooking the Long Island Sound, he made an announcement that completely took him by surprise.

"Dream came from Daddy last night," he said. "He wants me to visit."

Percy wondered if he was kidding, but Tyson really didn't know how to kid. "Poseidon sent you a dream message?"

Tyson nodded. "Wants me to go underwater for the rest of the summer. Learn to work at Cyclopes' forges. He called it an inter—an intern—"

"An internship?"

"Yes." Percy let that sink in. Percy felt a little jealous. Poseidon had never invited him underwater. But then, Percy thought, Tyson was going? Just like that?

"When would you leave?" Percy asked. "Now." "Now. Like ... now now?" "Now."

Percy stared out at the waves in the Long Island Sound. The water was glistening red in the sunset. "I'm happy for you, big guy," Percy managed. "Seriously."

"Hard to leave my new brother, and new friends" he said with a tremble in his voice. "But I want to make things. Weapons for the camp. You will need them."

Unfortunately, Percy knew he was right. The Fleece hadn't solved all the camp's problems. Luke was still out there, gathering an army aboard the Princess Andromeda. His partner was right alongside him, manipulating everything and everyone like puppets, and Percy still didn't know a shred about him whatsoever. But whatever he was… he was powerful. And that wasn't even counting all those strange people that were joining Luke. Not to mention, Kronos was still re- forming in his golden coffin. Eventually, Percy knew, they would have to fight them.

"You'll make the best weapons ever," Percy told Tyson. He held up his watch proudly. "I bet they'll tell good time, too."

Tyson sniffled. "Brothers help each other." "You're my brother," I said. "No doubt about it."

He patted Percy on the back so hard he almost knocked him down the sand dune. Then he wiped a tear from his cheek and stood to go. "Use the shield well."

"I will, big guy."

"Save your life some day. I will make you a sparking sword too!" Tyson promised. Percy had a chuckle at that. Gohan's sword was one of a kind, a piece of Zeus' Master Bolt itself. He wasn't going to crush Tyson by telling him that there was no way he could replicate Ascension. The way he said it, so matter-of-fact, Percy wondered if that Cyclops eye of his could see into the future. He headed down to the beach and whistled. Rainbow, the hippocampus, burst out of the waves. Percy watched the two of them ride off together into the realm of Poseidon.

Once they were gone, Percy looked down at his new wristwatch. Percy pressed the button and the shield spiraled out to full size. Hammered into the bronze were pictures in Ancient Greek style, scenes from their adventures this summer. There was Annabeth slaying a Laistrygonian dodgeball player, Percy and Gohan fighting the bronze bulls on Half-Blood Hill, Gohan in his SSJ2 form, surrounded by gold and blue sparks, Tyson riding Rainbow toward the Princess Andromeda, the CSS Birmingham blasting its cannons at Charybdis. Percy ran his hand across a picture of Tyson, battling the Hydra as he held aloft a box of Monster Donuts.

Percy couldn't help feeling sad. He knew Tyson would have an awesome time under the ocean. But he'd miss everything about him—his fascination with horses, the way he could fix chariots or crumple metal with his bare hands, or tie bad guys into knots. I'd even miss him snoring like an earth-quake in the next bunk all night.

"Hey, Percy." Percy turned.

Annabeth, Gohan and Grover were standing at the top of the sand dune. Percy guess maybe he had some sand in his eyes, because he was blinking a lot.

"Tyson ..." Percy told them. "He had to ..." "We know," Annabeth said softly. "Chiron told us."

"Cyclopes forges." Grover shuddered. "I hear the cafeteria food there is terrible! Like, no enchiladas at all."

"Sounds like a great opportunity. Brings me back to my adventures back home. We all fought against our enemies together, and once the battle was done, everyone went their separate ways. But don't worry, we'll see him again. I wonder if I can get him to forge me some armor…" Annabeth punched him in the arm, giving him a scathing glare. She then turned towards Percy and held out her hand. "Come on, Seaweed Brain. Time for dinner."

"Food!" Gohan cheered. They walked back toward the dining pavilion together, just the four of them, like old times. Later that night, Gohan grunted as he tried to pull on a set of spare Greek armor.

"Where are you going?" Percy asked as he sat in his bed.

"Tree patrol with Annabeth. You mind tightening the straps?" Gohan grunted as Percy grabbed the straps and tightened them. Percy snickered as he looked at Gohan.

"You look ridiculous." Gohan shifted uncomfortably.

"Now you know what I was thinking of asking Tyson for armor."

"Honestly, I can't picture you in armor. It would just slow you down."

"But it would certainly protect me from a few hits."

"Percy's right, armor's not your thing. You're a speedster." Both boys turned to see Annabeth in the doorway, garbed in bronze Greek armor. She gave Gohan a once over.

"Take that off, you look idiotic." Gohan shrugged it off immediately, letting it clang to the floor.

"Better. Come on, we're heading to Thalia's tree. It's our shift." She briskly turned and walked out. Gohan gave Percy a shrug and followed her. Once Percy was alone, he remembered something: his dad's letter. He ran to his bed and pulled it out of his trunk. He cradled it in his hands and looked at it with intrigue. Then, he pened the envelope and unfolded the paper. Two simple words were printed in the middle of the page:

Brace Yourself

Percy was baffled. Poseidon goes to the trouble of writing a letter, and he writes two words? What does that mean?

A storm raged that night, but it parted around Camp Half-Blood as storms usually did. Lightning flashed against the horizon, waves pounded the shore, but not a drop fell in their valley. They were protected again, thanks to the Fleece, sealed inside their magical borders.

"Come on, hear me out. This armor would be awesome. Solid celestial bronze, fit with a sick-ass helmet, like one of those knights from TV! Oh, and a long golden cape!" Annabeth had a simple answer to that.

"No capes!"

"Huh? Why not?"

"Simple. They're long, cumbersome, and get in the way while you're fighting. There was a guy, Zack Michaels, Apollo camper. A year after I arrived, he thought he would look cool with a cape on his armor. So, he had the Hephaestus campers forge him a sweet set of armor, fit with a long blue cape with Apollo's symbol on it. He looked super badass. Guess what happened?"

"You're going to tell me, aren't you?"

"He tripped on it during a fight and stabbed himself in the shoulder."

"Ouch… anyway… why are we doing this again? I thought the whole point of this quest was so the camp would be protected from monsters. Fleece is on tree. Tree is alive again. So, therefore, everyone protected." Annabeth groaned in exasperation.

"Once again. We are here as a precaution. In case Luke or one of his cronies tries something again." Gohan nodded as he looked out at the sea.

"Huh. It's like watching a movie." Gohan commented.

"Yeah, it is. I haven't seen weather since like this since that hurricane three years back. It's weird."

"Who did we piss off now?" Gohan asked as he leaned against Thalia's tree. Annabeth glared at him, her face hidden beneath the helmet, save for her

"First of all, get off that tree right now. Second… I'm not sure. Maybe it's just… the weather." She admitted as Gohan leaned off the tree.

"If this was my world? Yeah. But in a world full of gods that control everything… nope." Annabeth rolled her eyes.

"You're really protective of this tree, aren't you?" she sighed as she placed her hand on the tree's trunk.

"It's all I have left of Thalia. The night this happened… I was too little. I was scared. I couldn't do anything. I've regretted it ever since. I won't let myself ever be that weak again. I just won't." Gohan understood exactly how she felt.

"I get it. I really, really do. The first time I tried to fight, I was so scared. I couldn't move. And I watched my friends get hurt. We all have regrets, Annabeth. But dwelling on them doesn't work. Trust me." She looked at him, at an angle that kept her face shrouded.

"Maybe you're right. At least we saved Camp…" Annabeth mused as she sat down and looked up at the sky. There was a mess of clouds everywhere except right over camp.

"The sky sure is pretty tonight."

"It sure is. Man, we spend a lot of time looking at the stars, don't we?"

"Yeah. I guess it's nice to just to take a break and step back." They stood there for awhile, until Gohan thought of something else to ask.

"You ever wonder why we're here?" Annabeth gave him a curious expression.

"What exactly do you mean by that? Literally or metaphorically?"

"Well, it's something I've been wondering for awhile. I mean, sure, this universe has gods and this big, long long history story. But my universe wasn't made that way. And all things considered, the multiverse is a big place. How did all those worlds come about? What are they like, are we there? If we are, do we know each other. And then, there's the question of where the whole multiverse came from. I mean, are we all the product of some cosmic coincidence, or is there really some top, super God watching everything, something even more powerful and omnipotent than the gods? You know, with a plan for us and stuff. I don't know, but it keeps me up at night." Annabeth stared at him for the longest moment.

"What?"

"Gohan… we're just kids! We are… too young to be thinking like that. I mean, you sound like Aristotle and Plato!" then, she snickered.

"Oh gods, Gohan the philosopher. Now all we need is the toga and a beard."

"So, we're too young to think about the grand scheme of the universe, but it's perfectly fine for us to go out and fight monsters with swords and knives, and potentially die?"

"Shut up." Gohan chuckled as he sat next to Annabeth.

"I meant to say this before, but you look really good in that armor. Like, super cool. Like you're going to kick someone's butt." Annabeth was flustered as she looked at him.

"Really? I mean, it's nothing fancy, just basic armor from the armory…"

"Well, it works. My mother would like you. At least, I think she would. You guys sure are alike." She playfully punched him.

"I don't know if I should be flattered or creeped out. You don't have mommy issues, do you?" Gohan pondered that for a moment.

"Nope. I actually spent a lot of days sneaking out of my house to go play with my friends." The two of them sighed as they leaned back.

"This is nice."

"Amen to that."

They spent the next few hours sitting beneath the tree until the storm had dissipated. It was almost dawn and a few purple streaks could already be seen in the sky.

"Well, this was anticlimactic."

"Let's consider that a good thing." Annabeth grunted as she stood up and stretched.

"I'm going to use the bathroom. Wait here until Lee and Silena show up. They shouldn't be long." Annabeth set off down the hill towards the Big House, leaving Gohan alone with Thalia's tree.

"Great, now I have to go too. Dang it." He shifted uncomfortably as he waited. Five minutes went by, but no sign of anyone else.

"Awwww… dang it. Man, this is taking forever." Gohan sighed as he turned to pace in frustration… and tripped over a tree root.

"W-w-whoa!" he yelped as he fell forwards… and his hands smashed right through the tree's trunk with a loud crunch. He froze as he stared at his arms, and then his hands. Rather, where his arms ended.

"Ohhhhh noooooooooo!" Gohan was horrified. All that work to save this tree, and he just broke it!

"Oh gods help me. Annabeth is going to spear me alive." Gohan was genuinely terrified. But as he stood there, he felt something. Something that felt nothing like the inside of a tree. No rough bark or splinters. Instead, he felt something… soft. Warm, soft yet rough, and slightly squishy. It felt like a… person? In that split second, Gohan decided to take a risk. He dug his feet in and pulled. With a loud crunch of bark, Gohan flew back from the tree and tumbled down the hill, landing at the bottom with a loud THUD. Gohan groaned as he sat up, blinking in confusion. Then, he let out a yell of surprise at the sight next to him. What he had pulled out of the tree and was lying next to him was a… girl.

"Ummmm… hello?" Gohan knelt by her side. She didn't respond. Baffled, he flipped her over onto her back. She had short black hair and freckles across her nose. She was built like a long-distance runner, lithe and strong, and she wore clothes that were somewhere between punk and Goth—a black T-shirt, black tattered jeans, and a leather jacket with buttons from a bunch of bands he'd never heard of. She was covered with dirt and shards of bark, so Gohan patted them off her. Once the dirt was gone, she was actually kinda pretty, in an imposing kind of way. Still, Gohan didn't recognize her at all. She wasn't a camper, and he didn't recognize her from any of the cabins.

"Are you okay?" she didn't answer. Baffled, Gohan held his hand over her nose, and breathed a sigh of relief when he felt a breath exhale onto his hand.

"Okay, you're alive. Man, where is everyone? There's never an Apollo camper when you need one." Gohan's ranting was met with silence.

He put his hand on her forehead. Her skin was cold, but his fingertips tingled as if they were burning. This girl was powerful.

"Maybe I need CPR? Breathe into her mouth." To be fair, Gohan wasn't exactly the best in medicine. He frowned as he looked over her face.

"I should really go find help." In that instant, her eyes snapped open as she let out a loud gasp. Gohan yelped in surprise as her eyes fell on him. In one swift instant, she locked her arms around his neck and flipped him over, slamming him into the ground next to her. Now, normally Gohan would have been able to easily counter her move and pin her down. Heck, she shouldn't have even been able to budge him. But, Gohan had been caught by surprise and off-balance. He wouldn't make that mistake again. Both of them scrambled to their feet and faced each other, panting in surprise and confusion. The girl looked terrified but vicious at the same time. Like she was backed into a corner and willing to fight to the death.

Her irises were startlingly blue—electric blue. The girl stared at him in bewilderment, shivering and wild-eyed. "Who—" "I'm Gohan," he said. "You're safe now." "Strangest dream ..." "It's okay." "Dying." "No," he assured her. "You're okay. What's your name?"

"Who are you? Where am I?" the girl demanded. Gohan raised his hands nervously.

"Let's take a breath. You're in Camp Half-Blood, I'm a camper here. I just pulled you out of that tree. You're safe. Now, who are you?" Her eyes fell on his shirt, which was a typical Camp Half-Blood shirt. She loosened up, just a little bit.

"Which one?"

"Huh?"

"Answer me! If you're a camper here, which one is your parent? Apollo? Hermes? Athena? I'll know you lie."

"Seriously? We are standing in Camp! Only a camper can get in here!"

"I don't care. Answer me, or I will stab you!"

"Okay… fine!" Gohan had to think on his feet here, at least until he could find Chiron. He had to make up something to placate this girl. So, with his lightning fast brain, he had to pick one fast. He looked nothing like Annabeth or Luke, so Athena or Hermes were out of the question. His mind raced, but then he remembered something. The one everyone kept comparing him to. No harm, after all. He held up his hand, and let blue sparks dance across it.

"Zeus." The girl looked like someone had slapped her.

"You… Jaso…" her eyes ran over him. Like she was staring at a long lost relative.

"Who?" Her face turned from confusion to pure rage.

"LIAR!" she tapped a bracelet on his wrist, causing a shield to sprout on her arm. Gohan recoiled at the sight of it. It was one of the most horrifying, twisted things he had ever seen. He was so rattled that his tail uncurled from his waist, causing her eyes to widen in horror.

"Not a fan of _Aegis,_ huh? Most monsters aren't. I should have figured Hades had more monsters to hurl at me." She snarled as she pulled a can of mace out of her other pocket. It grew into a large and formidable spear, which sparked ominously with blue electricity. She trust it forward, sending a bolt of blue electricity into Gohan, sending him flying. He landed on his feet with a grunt, his chest smoking.

"I don't want to hurt you!" the girl sneered.

"Good. Because I wanna hurt YOU!" she charged and trust her spear at him. Gohan ducked.

"Seriously, stop it!" he leaped into the air and fired a bright yellow ki blast, not weak enough to actually hurt, just stun. She whipped her shield up to block the blast, exploding harmlessly against her shield and showering her in smoke.. Gohan landed on the ground as the smoke cleared. Then, the girl shot out of the smoke, her spear raised.

"Zeus!" she roared as she thrust as him. In frustration, Gohan flipped back and reached for his wrist, causing Ascension to appear in his hands. He brought the blade up just as the girl brought her spear down, both blades colliding with a shrill clang(Kinda like the sound that Jon Snow's sword made when it clashed with the White Walker's sword in Hardhome). The girl grunted in surprise as she pressed down, staring at the sword.

"What is that sword?" she demanded. Gohan saw no reason to lie, especially given that he needed this girl to trust him.

"A piece of Zeus' Master Bolt. He gave it to me. I swear on the River Styx!" The girl looked shocked. To be fair, Gohan could have easily broken the blade lock ages ago with his superior strength. But, it seemed that this was the best way to keep the girl talking.

"LIAR!"

"It's not a lie!"

"Why would he do that for a monster like you? He never did anything like that for me!"

"What are you talking about?" The conversation probably would have kept on going, but then the sound of crackling filled the air. They both looked down to see blue sparks dancing across their weapons, the air heating up as hairs stood on their bodies. The light brew brighter and brighter as the sparks intensified.

"Oh gods damn-" Then, a massive orb of blue electricity blasted from the blades, sending Gohan and the girl flying in opposite directions in a massive explosion. It was so intense that the ground shook, and the glass blew out from all the windows of the Big House, waking up the whole camp. Gohan flew through the air and slammed onto the ground, rolling until he slammed against the wall of the lavatory, groaning as he slumped to the ground.

"Ow…." Gohan groaned as blue sparks danced all over his body. Ascension landed next to him with a loud clang, smoke rising from the blade. His whole body throbbed, like he had just gone through an intense workout. He supposed that's what happened when your body got shocked with electricity. He grunted as he tried to stand up. Just then, the door flew open and Annabeth raced out. She had clearly been in the middle of a shower, as her hair was soaked and she was wearing Camo clothes that had clearly been thrown on in a hurry.

"Gohan? What in the name of Olympus is going on?" Gohan groaned as he struggled to his feet.

"There was a girl in the tree. I pulled her out, fell in front of Big House. She woke up, went crazy, attacked me with a scary shield and lightning spear. Screaming about Zeus. Black hair. Leather jacket. Looks like a goth." That was the most Gohan could manage at the moment. Annabeth stared at him as if she had seen a ghost.

"What did you just say?"

"Please don't make me repeat it. Ow. Ow." Gohan groaned as smoke rose off of his clothes. Annabeth looked awe-struck.

"It can't be." She sprinted towards the Big House, leaving Gohan with a dumbfounded expression on his face.

"Oh, come on. Ow. Ow. Ow." Gohan groaned as he reached down and picked up Ascension. Apparently, word had spread across camp, because despite the fact that dawn was just breaking, the whole camp seemed to be stirring. Word was spreading. A few campers were already making their way toward the Big House, satyrs and nymphs and heroes in a weird mix of armor and pajamas.

Gohan then heard the clop of horse hooves, and Chiron galloped up next to him, looking grim. "Is it true?" he asked. Gohan was baffled.

"What are you talking about?" Chiron shook his head.

"This is important, Gohan! I need you to tell me exactly what happened! Right now!" He was confused, but Gohan slowly repeated everything that had happened. When he finished, Chiron looked like someone had punched him. He made a symbol with his hands and swore in ancient Greek.

Gohan tried to ask what was going on, but Chiron grabbed him by the arm and effortlessly lifted him onto his back. Together, they thundered up to the Big House, where a small crowd had started to gather.

"Curse the titan lord," Chiron said. "He's tricked us again, given himself another chance to control the prophecy."

"What do you mean?" Gohan asked. "The Fleece," he said. "The Fleece did its work too well."

They galloped forward, everyone moving out of their way. There at the steps of the Big House, the girl was lying unconscious. Her shield and spear were lying next to her, smoke rising from her clothes. Annabeth was kneeling next to the unconscious girl, her head bent over. She wasn't moving in the slightest, despite her disheveled appearance.

"I swear I didn't hurt her. She went nuts and attacked me, I was just defending myself."

"I know. But it seems that the Fleece did more than we thought."

"What does that mean?"

"It healed the tree," Chiron said, his voice ragged. "And poison was not the only thing it purged, as you inadvertently discovered."

When Annabeth saw them, she ran to Chiron. "It... she ..."

Her eyes were streaming with tears, but Gohan still didn't understand. He was too stunned out to make sense of it all. Then, Percy ran up, still in his pajamas and a baffled expression on his face. He broke through the crowd and ran toward the unconscious girl. Chiron said: "Percy, wait!"

"It's true," Grover said, panting from his run down the hill. "I can't believe ..." Nobody else came close to the girl.

"She needs nectar and ambrosia," Percy said. He didn't understand why everyone was acting so scared.

Percy took her by the shoulders and lifted her into sitting position, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Come on!" Percy yelled to the others. "What's wrong with you people?"

"She tried to run me through!" Gohan protested from Chrion's back

No one moved, not even Chiron. They were all too stunned. Then the girl took a shaky breath. She coughed and opened her eyes. Her eyes fell on Gohan, who shifted on Chiron's back awkwardly.

"YOU!" She threw Percy aside as she struggled towards Gohan, her eyes blazing with rage.

"Whoa whoa whoa!" Gohan raised his hands. Annabeth and Grover leaped in front of her.

"Wait! Thalia, don't hurt him! He's not the enemy!" the girl stared at them in disbelief.

"Annabeth? Grover?" Gohan suddenly had a nasty realization he stared at the girl.

The girl's blue eyes stared into his, and he finally understood what the Golden Fleece quest had been about. The poisoning of the tree. Everything. Kronos, Luke and his partner had done it to bring another chess piece into play—another chance to control the prophecy. Gohan and Percy both stared at her in disbelief.

"Thalia? Wait, are you…"

Even Chiron, Annabeth, and Grover, who should've been celebrating this moment, were too shocked, thinking about what it might mean for the future. And Percy was looking at someone who was destined to be his best friend, or possibly his worst enemy. Gohan shook his head as he stared at the girl. The girl who had gotten livid when he had claimed to be the son of Zeus. Who had been incensed when he had used a sword made from Zeus' Master Bolt. Man, things just kept getting more complicated, didn't they?

"You're…"

"I am Thalia," the girl said. "Daughter of Zeus."


	25. The Dark Pantheon

Cell stood silently at the window of the statesroom of the Princess Andromeda, staring out at the open sea. He glanced downwards at his gloved hand. His choice of outfit today was a black tunic, fit with cloak and gloves. The sole color on him was the orange phoenix on his chest, wings spread. Cell had chosen that symbol because he thought it best represented his journey. He had arrived into this world broken, inches from death. And now, he was legions stronger now than he had been when he had first arrived. Of course, he could also compare the phoenix to when he reconstructed himself from mere particles after his failed self-destruction. He rose from ashes. And now, he was poised to change everything. So close. So close to the ultimate perfection… but patience was everything. Even with all his newly acquired power from his numerous training sessions and absorptions, he still could not defeat all the gods. Not together. He may be more powerful than them, as evidenced by Gohan's battle with Ares the year prior, but the fact remained the same. They were immortal. And Cell, even with all his power and regeneration, was not. Fighting the gods alone? They would smash him down. But, he would not be alone for much longer…

Cell winched as he pressed his fingers to his temple. A slip in his concentration, and the thoughts of the absorbed would come in. Their fear, terror, anger, loathing… so many of them. He had always suppressed it before, back in his world. It had never been a problem then. But now, after the last three years? He had absorbed countess demigods, saytrs, monsters and nymphs since them. Those were… more difficult to control.

" _ **Is that fear I sense? From you? How amusing."**_ Cell narrowed his eyes as he glared at the shimmering golden casket.

"Fear is for the weak. That is why I absorb them. Only the strong survive, especially in this world."

" _ **Hmph. You're quite the planner, aren't you? You plot against the Greeks one day, the Egyptians the next? How long until you strike against the Romans**_?" Cell sighed as he stepped over to his chessboard, carved in the shapes of familiar faces. Himself, Luke, and the Titans as the black pieces, faceless demigods as the pawns. The same was repeated for the whites, replaced with the Gods as the big pieces, with Gohan, Percy and Annabeth as well. There was a third side of the board as well, fitted with Egyptian pieces. Carter and Sadie Kane were the king and queen, with all the other gods and goddess fit in.

"Romans in the West. Greeks and Egyptians in the East. We must plan carefully."

" _ **Yet, if we manipulate them properly, they will destroy each other for us. Unfortunately,**_ _ **Apophis's failure to unleash the Red Pyramid set us back years.**_ _ **"**_

"True. My mistake was underestimating the Kanes. And the boy. They were more… versatile than I thought. "

" _ **You should have killed them the moment you destroyed the stone."**_ It was Cell's turn to smile.

"Is that regret? That seems quite unhealthy. And a little immature, given that you've had thousands of years to mull."

" _ **Do not compare yourself to me! I ruled this reality eons before your creator's ancestors crawled out of the mud!"**_ Cell ignored that jab as he ran his hand across the chessboard.

"If Apophis had succeeded, much of the country would have been devastated. The Greek Gods would have declared war on the Egyptians, and the demigods would have fought the House of Life. Desjardins is a blind stubborn fool, not even a pale shadow to Iskandar. He would have charged right into the trap. They would have devastated each other, and left themselves too weak to resist us."

"You've changed since he arrived. You were ambitious once. You sought me out after you arrived in this world."

"Call it anticipation. But, if the past two years have taught me anything, it is that we cannot plan and execute these actions ourselves, nor leave them to weak proxies who don't have a shred of power compared to our adversaries. The stealing of the Master Bolt was sloppy. Trusting it to Castellan was an idiotic mistake. Taking the bolt was impressive by his part, but trying to conceal it himself was idiotic. If there had been a third party between himself and us, someone who could hold themselves against Ares, events could have played very differently. We need middlemen. Leaders and planners for our army. And I am on the cusp of finishing this goal."

" _ **I have my… doubts about these creatures."**_

"They will do their job. After all, I-" Cell was interrupted by the door slamming open as Luke barged in.

"Did I miss something? You can't just summon me like some servant!" Cell's eyes opened as he floated back to the floor, and turned to glare at Luke, who mentally cringed at Cell's glare, but still stood his ground.

"One would think you would be a bit more grateful to the recipient of good news. One you would be quite anxious to hear." Luke's face changed from rage to surprise.

"You mean…"

"It is done. Just as we planned. As we speak, Thalia Grace is alive and well at Camp Half-Blood." Luke looked stunned.

"By Olympus… What do we do now? What's our next move? We need to get to her, convince her to join our cause-" Luke gasped as he doubled over as he clutched his ribs.

"Silence, boy. Your prattling is getting annoying." Cell unclenched his fist, causing Luke to fall on his hands and knees, taking several loud, ragged breaths.

"Kronos and I have already discussed out our next move. For now, we will return to the shadows. You will continue to recruit more and more demigods to our cause, weaken the gods. We will then strike on the solstice. We will divide them when they are the most weak, and set them back a year. In the meantime, I must return to Mount Othrys. There are many preparations to be made."

"You claim to be my partner, yet you plan ten different things without even speaking to me! Now you and Kronos are having discussions without me?" Cell glared at him for the longest instant, causing Luke to swallow nervously. Then, Cell vanished, without saying a single word. Luke gulped. Sometimes, no words were more terrifying than a screaming argument.

(For this next part, I'd recommend listening to the GOT theme, Hear Me Roar.)

Cell strode silently down the dark hallway, the only light coming from the green Greek fire, crackling from braziers along the walls. His cloak fluttered behind him, flapping darkly in the dim green light. The air was silent, save for the echoes of his footsteps. A cold wind blew down the hallway as Cell stepped into the throne room. Magnificent as ever, his throne sat at the head of the room, looming over everything else. As Cell stepped in, he smiled. They were here already. So attentive, so eager. Their eyes followed him hungrily as he walked through the room. His greatest creations. Forged one by one as he had accumulated more and more demigods. Far superior than their source material, perfect in every way. They were all free to morph into anything they desired, but many of them had stuck with the form they preferred. Their attitudes were diverse as well. So telling to their personalities. Some pretended not to look, pretending to be occupied with menial tasks, while others glared at him, giving him their full attention.

A boy, covered head and toe in black Greek armor, save for the silver boar glistening on his chest and two battle axes strapped to his back.

A faint giggle echoed near him as a faint pink light shimmered, watching Cell with amusement. She was perhaps one of the most deadly of them, and she didn't need a sword or a knife. She was enough. One look from her eyes would enthrall you. When she spoke, anyone who was within earshot would be drawn to her, hopelessly enamored. A gold necklace rested against her neck with three small silver charms: a dove, a swan, and a hare.

A pair of piercing grey eyes followed Cell's every step, analyzing every step and movement he made. Cold and calculating. His gloved hand rested on his sword, stroking the silver owl pommel.

A thin lean girl, surrounded by a faint aura of silver, sharpened a pair of gleaming hunting knives. Annoyed by something tickling her feet, she sliced downwards and sliced a vine clean in half. An angry snarl erupted as the vine snaked back to its master, who cradled it as she leaned back in a chair of vines and wheat.

Another boy gaffed as he swirled a goblet of purple wine, before taking a deep gulp. A girl winked at Cell as she shuffled a deck of cards between her hands, her sandy-blonde hair wrapped with a bandana decorated with a caduceus.

Opposite of her, a large burly boy inspected a Celestial bronze sword, flames dancing across his armored body. Near him, heat radiated from a girl, who leaned against the wall in shimmering orange armor that perfectly complimented her blonde hair.

Cell reached the throne and climbed the steps, his footsteps echoing through the throne room. He turned as they crowded around the steps, looking at him. He stood back, his frame filling the majestic black throne. Before him sat his crowning achievement. His pantheon. So close to completion. They would descend upon Camp Half-Blood as a siren song, wiping away all in their path.

And today… one step closer. He held his right hand out, acting as a cue. Almost instantly, the drone appeared next to him, and expelled a red vial into his hand. Cell breathed in triumph. Finally, one of the Big Three. Soon, he would add the other two. But for today, this was enough. Cell's tail emerged from his body as he uncorked the vial. In one swift motion, he thrust the tip of his tail into the vial, sucking up the blood in vial, like a mosquito. When the vial empty, Cell let it drop away from him with a loud clang. He grunted as he clutched the sides of the throne, then let out a roar as blue sparks danced across his body.

"The power of the ocean! The sea itself! MINE!" Cell howled as the sparks intensified. Then, Cell collapsed to his knees as the sparks subsided, taking several deep breaths. The pantheon watched, not moving an inch. Not speaking, or breathing. Then, Cell rose.

"It's time." Then, Cell roared as he clenched his fists, digging into his hands so deeply that he cut them. Red sparks danced all over his body as the room shook. Purple blood dripped out of his hands as the children backed up, still maintaining an arch around the throne. The air shimmered around Cell, heated to the point that it felt like you were being in a sauna. Cell grunted as he concentrated, pressing the power together. Giving it shape, form, structure. Then, he began pushing it out. Cell's tail began to bugle. The ball grew bigger and bigger as it traveled through Cell's tail, until there it was a massive ball at the tip. Cell then angled it right over the front of the throne. In one swift motion, Cell spat out a massive egg, which landed in front of his throne with a loud splat. The children crowded around, watching the egg with a mixture of emotions. Some felt curiosity. Others felt annoyance. One was already focused, calculating what this new factor meant or whether it was a threat to his own position. The egg itself shimmered with a deep blue, like an aquarium. And then, a loud crack echoed through the air as a crack appeared on the side of the egg. That crack was soon followed with a second, and a third. Soon, a whole spiderweb of cracks danced across the egg. The egg then exploded, sending goop and shell fragments flying in every direction. Cell smiled as the smoke faded, revealing a blue android, much like the former children Cell had used during the Cell Games. Only, this one was a bit taller, maybe five feet. A blue aura shimmered around it. Cell even smelled the sea in the air. It looked around curiously, taking in everything around it. The other children regarded it, making their own observations. This was the critical moment. The one where everything about a child was established. Boy or girl. Appearance. Personality.

After what seemed like an eternity, the little android's body shimmered, and was replaced by a girl. She looked to be around thirteen, with long black hair that laid limply against her back. Her eyes were a deep green, much like Percy's. Cell supposed that there were bound to be some similarities, since there wasn't as much to take from compared to the others. But her power… he could sense it from where he stood. She was also stark naked. Probably since she was still adjusting. She was barely a minute old after all. She shifted nervously as she attempted to cover herself. After staring at all her siblings, she turned and looked at Cell. He gestured, causing one of the children to come forward and drape a towel over her. Cell sank back into the throne as he gestured at her.

"Kneel." She sank to her knees, unmoving. Unflinching.

"You will fight for me. No other. You will follow my orders without hesitation. You will kill who I order you to kill. You are mine. You are part of my pantheon. Swear to me." She looked up at him, her green eyes twinkling.

"I… swear…" Her siblings drew their weapons and fell to their knees. Cell smiled.

"Rise. From this day forward, you are Neptunia, daughter of the ocean." She stood. Cell smiled as he pressed his hands together.

"We have work to do."


	26. Writer update

Greetings fans! So, it's finally over. Gohan and the Sea of Monsters is finished. What a story.

I'm very happy to announce that the planning for Gohan and the Titan's Curse is already underway. I promise, you'll see plenty of faces, both new and old. Well, I suppose for people who read the actual book, they're classic characters. No spoilers, but I will detail a few basics for how Gohan and the Titan's Curse is going to go.

Now, of course Gohan will be back. Percy, Annabeth and the whole gang. He'll be a little different. He'll be a bit more mature. Lightning Thief was mainly a fish out of water story, with Gohan abruptly thrown into a complete element. Sea of Monsters, like Red Pyramid, focuses on Gohan adjusting to his new life. He's in a new world that is basically in no way similar to his own, and trying to figure out his place in it. Remember, despite all their bravado, skills, and talents… they're still kids. Well, they're teenagers now. And as any YA reader knows, teenagers are extremely complicated. I won't spoil anything, but I will say that they will be dealing with their new emotions, albeit in different ways. I'm not spoiling any pairings, so keep on voting in the poll. Also, one major divergence from the main story that I'll be doing is that there will be several Annabeth chapters. It always bothered me that Riordan just bumped off Annabeth for the majority of the story. Even Grover got several dream scenes. So, yes. There will be multiple chapters

I'll also answer several things right off the bat. Yes, I am also planning on doing both Heroes of Olympus and the Magnus Chase series. My basic plotline for this Gohan crossover series goes like this: Lightning Thief, Red Pyramid, Sea of Monsters, Titan's Curse, Throne of Fire, Serpent's Shadow, Battle of the Labyrinth, and The Last Olympian. Then of course, Heroes of Olympus and Magnus Chase.

Now, I do hate to announce this, but it may be a significant amount of time before I begin Gohan and the Titan's Curse. I need to finish Gohan and the Red Pyramid first, and I'm also working on my own personal novel, and I want to finish it before my classes begin in August. So, this will be the last you hear from me in a little while. In the meantime, anyone who was interested in the fan art contest, please PM me. Like I promised, the best one will be the cover art for Titan's Curse, and runner up will be the replacement cover for Sea of Monsters.

So until next time, keep reading!


	27. Fan Art Announcement

Greetings fans! It's been a long wait, but the results for the fan contests are in! The winner of the fan art contest, whose art will be the cover art for Gohan and the Titan's Curse is…

 **NebulaXYZ**! With his art pic of Gohan in a Camp Half-Blood outfit.

Congragulations! And in second place…

 **Engieguypro**! Congrats. Your art will be uploaded soon as the new Sea of Monsters cover page.

Even though this contest is over, don't let this stop any of you artists from working on your projects. After all, there's still the Battle of the Labyrinth! And the Last Olympian.

And a special announcement. Soon, the first chapter of Gohan and the Titan's Curse will be up. Until then, enjoy!


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